There is a mobile crisis unit, specifically for mental health, serving West End communities. Integrated Insight Therapy (IIT) has three responders that are dispatching to homes in Nucla, Naturita and surrounding communities.
Joel Watts, owner and operator of IIT, is on a mission to let entities in the West End know about the resource. He’s building a mass email list for communications and would like to speak to town boards in the future.
Watts established his company as an outpatient therapy organization in 2019, and during that time he’s been doing counseling sessions weekly. Now, though, with running the business across six counties — Delta, Montrose, San Miguel and Ouray, and with offices in Grand Junction and Cortez — he’s needing to spend more time with team members out in the field.
Watts is passionate about the mobile crisis response unit. He believes it’s important to avoid hospitals and institutions whenever possible. IIT uses the latest evidence-based research and trained staff to reach those in crisis.
Not only does IIT help support a patient personally, but Watts said it helps to alleviate stress on tax resources.
“We help people develop coping skills, rather than sending them to hospitals,” he said, though he admitted when his organization has to transport, it will and works with local ambulatory services on occasion.
Still, his goal is to first support patients without police or EMS. His team works inside a client’s home to stabilize them. His staff are experienced and trained to work in cases of self-harm and suicidal ideation. Watts said they use the best evidence that exists, along with common sense. He said when his responders are called, they de-escalate a situation and help patients “find ground within themselves.”
“If we are able to help them remain inside the home successfully and avoid the hospital, we can teach them to stand on their own,” he said.
In the West End, two of the responders are masters-level, and one is bachelors degree-level. Watts said there are other backup clinicians available, and he personally backs up his counties, too.
IIT contracts with Rocky Mountain Health Care Plans, which provides reimbursements. Watts has said before his goal is not to get rich off the company. He’s about providing services to communities, and some of that is also done through grants.
“Our number one goal is to make healthier communities overall,” he said.
His organization has grown this year. Now, he has 75 employees, with all but five qualified to see patients. Now, IIT is also going through a rebranding. In the future, the organization will include other programs, too, and grow into the new name Integrated Insight Community Care.
Soon, there will be psychiatric care, and mental health services, along with primary medical care and other community programs. Watts said it’s about “transformational health.”
“We want to start to tackle ‘community’ as a whole,” he said, and that includes support with transitional housing and job support. “We really want to help communities that need help.”
Anyone who needs to reach the mobile crisis line should call 1-844-493-8255. Response time is one to two hours, depending on weather. (It’s more like 30 minutes in Montrose and Delta.)
Team responder Kristen White told the Forum she’s standing by.
“We are really out here working hard and trying to educate and provide good services, so our communities have something to fall back on,” she said.
Watts added that he doesn’t let people fall through the cracks — “period,” he said.
