Thanks to a strategic partnership with Behavioral Healthcare Providers (“BHP”), patients who come to the Grand Itasca emergency department with symptoms of a behavioral health crisis are quickly assessed by a licensed mental health clinician via telemedicine. BHP is a non-profit behavioral health care organization that provides assessments, treatment recommendations and care coordination to patients in 35 emergency rooms across the state of Minnesota. 

Along with Grand Itasca’s emergency doctors and nursing staff, BHP clinicians work with the patient to quickly assess their immediate and future needs. Prior to leaving Grand Itasca’s emergency department, patients are either admitted to the nearest-available inpatient facility, or set up with appointments and connected to appropriate Grand Itasca specialists or other providers in the community. Primary diagnoses typically range from major depressive disorder to attention deficit disorder (ADD), anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, substance abuse/addiction issues, and other mental and behavioral health conditions.
 
Grand Itasca also works with Itasca County’s Crisis Response Team (“CRT”), which is focused on responding to crises in the community while also supporting patients at Grand Itasca.