A Chicago nonprofit organization has rolled out a nifty mobile solution that mental health response professionals can use to help Illinoisans. After several months of planning and rounds of brainstorming, meetings, and testing, Chicago-based nonprofit Trilogy began releasing its innovative mobile solution to the public in January of this year. Officially known as First Response Alternative Crisis Team, the mobile platform has received over 230 calls from Illinoisans seeking help for mental health issues, either for themselves or a loved one.
A 911 alternative for those in need of urgent mental health help
Because stress, depression, anxiety, and other traditional psychological problems can be viewed as not being a medical emergency, those suffering mental health distress can feel that there isn’t a resource to turn to for mental health crises. Trilogy wants to change that, hopefully for good. Instead of calling 911, the First Response Alternative Crisis Team help connects a person in mental distress with a professional. It doesn’t matter if the crisis is small or big, or whether you’re young or old. The team is trained to meet the needs of anyone who needs help on the other line.
If you would rather visit an office in person, new practices are opening around the city like Geode Health practice in Lakeview, which will open later this year and provide a variety of therapeutic services.
First Response Alternative Crisis Team in Action
Catlin Smeele is a crisis counselor with the First Response Alternative Crisis Team. When she joined Trilogy’s new mobile mental health response solution, she couldn’t fathom the kind of help she would need to deliver to Illinoisans dealing with mental distress. When she accepted the job, Catlin thought someone in mental distress would either be homicidal, suicidal, or suffering from addiction. After receiving numerous calls on Trilogy’s innovative mobile response plaform and having navigated a wide variety of different circumstances, situations, and mental crises, her views on persons in mental distress have changed almost completely.
For instance, Catlin has often had to deal with issues stemming from access to mental health services. People are confused and don’t know how, when, and where to get reliable, timely, and affordable mental health care and treatment services. Others struggle to use the latest healthcare technologies. And since most in-person offices were closed due to COVID-19 regulations, many more have looked for ways to get virtual visits with mental health practitioners.
For this reason, Trilogy’s Mobile Crisis Response Team is moving its services to the streets to start a conversation around its new response mobile solution.
About Trilogy
Based at 1400 W Greenleaf Ave, Chicago, IL 60626 in Rogers Park, Trilogy is a premier nonprofit behavioral health care firm. Its new mobile response team works seven days a week, and open hours are from 7 AM – 7 PM. The response team at Trilogy covers the neighborhoods in North Side Chicago, along with Skokie and Evanston. Chicago’s 49th Ward, in particular, ranks 5th when it comes to the number of calls from people needing mental health help.
Trilogy’s mobile response team will continue receiving calls for help with mental distress. As highlighted by the New York Times, clinical psychologists, counselors, and therapists are all worried about the state of mental health in the United States. Demand is through the roof, waiting lists are too long, and treatment is urgently needed.