Running head: AGENCY REPORT

Crisis Screening Center

Krystin Milbourne
Wilmington University

AGENCY REPORT

Agency Overview and Mission

The Crisis Screening Unit is under the direction of Cumberland County Guidance
Center, a non-profit agency. Crisis provides 24 hours, 7 days a week clinical assessment
and crisis stabilization to individuals experiencing a psychiatric emergency in the
Cumberland County area. The screening center is located in the emergency department of
Inspira Bridgeton Health Center and there is screening staff available at Inspira Medical
Center, Vineland, NJ. The mission of the Cumberland County Guidance Centers
(CCGC) Screening and Screening Outreach Service is committed to providing the highest
quality of psychiatric emergency and screening service in a manner, which upholds
dignity and confidentiality while maximizing each consumers strengths and resources.
Demographic
Crisis Screening Unit serves adults and children between the ages of 5-17 who
live in the Cumberland County area with a mental illness or dual diagnosis. Referrals are
received from schools, jails, hospitals, police and other mental health programs. About
2,200 consumers are seen every year with 80% being adults and the other 20% being
children. The outreach team brings in 50% of the consumers living in the community.
Around 48% of all consumers seen in a year are hospitalized and 18% of those adults are
involuntary committed. Parents are able to sign their children into the hospital for a 7-day
evaluation, because of this Crisis has not resorted to involuntary committing a child for
many years.
Policy and Procedures for Agency Administration
1. Devise and implement a written plan that ensures appropriate staff availability 24
hours a day for 365 days a year. Ensure screener availability on-site or on-call at
all times and appropriate coverage in the event of unscheduled absence of staff.

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2. Ensure adequate levels of clinical staff supervision, skill development and

support.
3. Maintains records of staff performance certification, and recertification eligibility.
4. Maintains records of stall educational and experiential background.
5. Screens prospective employees and ensures that they meet the educational and
experiential requirements.
6. Coordination of the System Review Committee.
7. Coordination of emergency services training and education in the geographic area.
8. Establish a procedure for monitoring and documenting the performance of all
screening service functions.
9. Ensure the participation of the screening service in local mental health, health and
human service planning activates.
10. Staff disciplinary action and performance review.
11. Upholds and implements the philosophies and polices of CCGC and Inspira.
12. Maintains confidentiality in the hospital, CCGC and consumer related issues.
13. To ensure the screening service is staffed according to the Division of Mental
Health and Addiction Services standards.
14. To ensure the availability and a timely response by a certified screener during
requests for mobile outreach
15. To ensure protection of consumers liberties and rights.
Procedures for Hospitalization
A Crisis Screener and psychologist must follow strict guidelines before a patient
can be hospitalized. Guidelines:

A clear danger to self, others or property.

Dangerous is due to mental illness and not sole situational factor.
No other stabilization options are available or appropriate.
Alternatives to hospitalization must be explored and are not suitable to meet the

individuals needs.
Presenting problem cannot be on going, non-acute or behavioral in nature.
The problem is evident in a number of settings and is not specific to on setting.

Organizational Structure

Governance
Board of Trustees

Executive Staff

M. Jay Einstein

H. Dieter Hovermann

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President
Robin Daplyn
Vice President
Anita Brady
Treasurer
Donna Vertolli
Secretary
Edward Bowman
Joanne R. Gittone
James R. Hurley
Lawrence Pepper Jr.
Jose Rivera

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Executive Director
Alan Barnes, M.D.
Interim Medical Director
Gary Moellers
Director of Community Services
David G. Bartels
CFO
Wayne Lewis
Quality Improvement Director
Josephine White
Clinical Director
Elvira Smith
Crisis Screening Center Director

Funding
Crisis Screening Center is a program under the non-profit organization CCGC
they are both funded by the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services. The
agency also receives funds from grants, donations and billing insurance of Medicaid
patients.
Relationship Between The Agency and Other Human Services Agencies
Crisis Screening Center is a program with the Cumberland County Guidance
Center (CCGC). The program is partnered with Inspira Health Network, located in their
Bridgeton location. Before a consumer is discharged from the Crisis Center a staff
member provides linkage to appropriate human services within the community. Crisis
links consumers to CCGC programs such as Outpatient, Adult Partial Care, PACT, ICMS,
Hampton Behavioral Health Center, Cumberland County Alcoholism, Drug Abuse &
Addiction Services, Inspira Health Network, Short Term Care Facility/Bridgeton Mental
Health Unit, Childrens Crisis Intervention Service and Supportive Housing. Other
human services include but are not limited to Robins Nest, Oaks Integrated Care and drug
and alcohol programs.

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Strengths and Challenges

The strength of the Crisis Screening Center is being involved with two wellknown organizations in the community. As previously stated, Crisis is supported by
Cumberland County Guidance Center and Inspira Health Network. Another strength is
having strong relationships with other human service organizations, schools and police
departments. Since Crisis is the only screening center in Cumberland County they face
the challenge of meeting the needs of everyone seeking their services within the
community. While interning, I have observed the need for more staff. Unfortunately,
limited funding only allows for a certain number of staff.
My Role in The Agency
My role as an intern with the Crisis Screening Center is to learn all duties and
skills of a Human Service Administrator. I learned how to analyze staffs performance
data. I had the opportunity to discuss with supervisor about staff time management skills
so that they can effectively serve individuals seeking treatment. I have been able to sit in
on administration meetings as they discussed policies and procedures of Crisis
admissions. Also, I have followed Screening staff members to learn their roles and duties
with the agency.

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Reference

Cumberland County Guidance Center. A Community Mental Health Facility (2011).

Retrieved June 19, 2016. From; http://www.ccgcnj.org/Staff.aspx
Crisis Screening Center Policy and Procedures handbook.