EMACS Program Closing

After nearly nine years of providing outstanding mental health crisis stabilization services to people in Ramsey, Dakota, and Washington counties, the East Metro Adult Crisis Stabilization Program (EMACS) will close at the end of December 2011.  The Mental Health Crisis Alliance is proud of the accomplishments of the EMACS program and acknowledges and thanks program staff, community partners, and funders for their contributions and service.

Starting January 2012, mental health crisis stabilization services currently provided by the EMACS program  will be transitioned to the new Urgent Care for Adult Mental Health, co-located with Ramsey County chemical health and detox services at 402 University Avenue East in Saint Paul. The new Urgent Care will offer mental health crisis assessment and stabilization, both walk-in and mobile, with expanded hours of services and increased walk-in capacity. A multi-disciplinary team, managed by Ramsey County, will providemental health crisis services including:

  • Rapid access to psychiatric care and medications
  • Crisis assessment and stabilization
  • Certified peer support specialists
  • Help in acquiring community resources and referrals
  • Chemical dependency screening and referrals 
This change comes as a result of the combined efforts of the Mental Health Crisis Alliance, funders and community stakeholders to continue to increase integration of crisis services in the East Metro. The transition of services allows for expanded hours, access to certified peer support specialists, and additional access to psychiatry. Co-location with chemical health and detox services will provide an unprecedented level of service coordination and integration.
 
The Mental Health Crisis Alliance is committed to a smooth transition to ensure the same high quality level of service that East Metro stakeholders have come to expect from the EMACS program.
 
For more information about current EMACS program operations and client transition planning, contact Peggy Mattingly at margaret.mattingly@co.ramsey.mn.us or 651-266-7909.
 
For more information about the mission of the Mental Health Crisis Alliance and its effort to integrate mental health crisis services, contact Roger Meyer at roger@meyerconsulting.org or 651-338-5318.