Introduction to the NCBHS Behavioral Health Urgent Care Model
September 26, 2025
A Rosecrance Behavioral Health Affiliate
Presenters
Angie Hughes, LCPC
Sarah Salisbury, LCSW
Rob Roberson, BSW
Presenters
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Angie Hughes, LCPC
Sarah Salisbury, LCSW
Rob Roberson, BSW
Goal: Introduce the Behavioral Health Urgent Care Model; How it Works, How it Can Help.
Objectives:
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Introduction to North Central Behavioral Health Systems
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NCBHS’ Mission
“NCBHS is dedicated to serving a diverse range of individuals with behavioral health needs by using strengths based and person-centered services to achieve overall wellness through available resources.”
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History of North Central Behavioral Health Systems-Who We Are
For over 40 years, NCBHS has provided mental health and substance use services to more than 50,000 clients in the North Central and Central Illinois area.
NCBHS is a nonprofit 501©3 corporation governed by a board of Directors and National Quality Approval through Joint Commission Accreditation.
In February 2025, NCBHS became an affiliate of Rosecrance Behavioral Health.
Payor sources: Medicaid, Medicaid Managed Care Organizations, Self-Pay, and Federal and State grant funding.
Serving the populations of LaSalle, Bureau, Grundy, Marshall, Putnam, Stark, Fulton, and McDonough Counties, and their surrounding areas.
Office Locations: Main office-LaSalle, Ottawa, Princeton, Streator, Morris, Canton, Macomb, and Lacon.
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North Central Behavioral Health Systems: What We Do.
NCBHS’ Service Array
Individual therapy for children, adolescents, and adults
Group treatment including:
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Moral Reconation Therapy,
Psychosocial Rehabilitation
Case Management
Intensive Home and Community-Based Support
Child/adolescent and adult psychiatry and medication management
24-Hour Supervised Housing
Provider for problem solving courts in LaSalle, Marshall, Grundy, Fulton, and McDonough counties
Substance abuse treatment
Crisis System of Care:
School-Based Services
Prevention Services
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Introduction to the Behavioral Health Urgent Care Model
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Introduction to the Behavioral Health Urgent Care Model:�SAMHSA’s National Behavioral Health Crisis Care Guidelines
“Someone to Contact: Services like the 988 Lifeline and other behavioral health hotlines provide immediate, accessible support.
Someone to Respond: Services like Mobile Crisis Teams that deliver rapid, on-site interventions to de-escalate crises and connect individuals to care as well as Crisis Outreach Teams that provide complementary crisis prevention and postvention; and
A Safe Place for Help: A wide array of stabilization services for behavioral health crisis and emergencies where people can receive immediate treatment and support as well as services that can aid in crisis prevention and postvention.” (samhsa.gov)
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The Behavioral Health Urgent Care Model provides a Safe Place for individuals experiencing a behavioral health crisis to receive timely and appropriate crisis care.
Individuals seeking help through NCBHS’ Behavioral Health Urgent Care receive immediate access to the same crisis intervention services provided by our Mobile Crisis Response program.
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Introduction to the Behavioral Health Urgent Care Model:�Where Does it Fit in SAMHSA’s Guidelines?
Introduction to the Behavioral Health Urgent Care Model: Our Team
Crisis Intervention Specialist (MHP, QMHP) Clinicians trained to complete comprehensive risk assessments and crisis safety plans to ensure immediate safety. Are also trained to complete intake assessments to ensure access to outpatient services as quickly as possible following a crisis event.
Engagement Specialist (RSA, CRSS, CPRS)
Provide a unique benefit to those seeking crisis care. As team members with lived experience in mental health and/or substance use treatment and recovery, they can connect with individuals in crisis on a different level than other clinical staff might.
Clinical Manager (LPHA), Team Lead (MHP, QMHP, LPHA)
Provide immediate supervisory support to staff to ensure individuals receive the most appropriate and clinically sound care possible. All risk assessments are staffed with an LPHA prior to making a final decision regarding next steps.
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Introduction to the Behavioral Health Urgent Care Model: Our Assessment Methods
The NCBHS Crisis System of Care utilizes evidence-based tools and a trauma-informed approach to assess clients for risk to themselves or others.
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The Illinois Medicaid Crisis Assessment Tool (IM-CAT).
The Illinois Medicaid Comprehensive Assessment of Needs and Strengths (IM+CANS)
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Introduction to the Behavioral Health Urgent Care Model: Our Approach
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NCBHS maintains a focus on providing strengths-based, person-centered, and trauma-informed care.
The application of these principles is key in our approach to providing crisis care in the community and in our Urgent Care locations.
The assessment tools we utilize focus on identifying strengths and internal and external factors which could mitigate risk and be utilized to maintain the safety of individuals in their community.
Once risk has been identified and assessed, the focus becomes identifying the least restrictive next steps to ensure the safety of the individual.
Introduction to the Behavioral Health Urgent Care Model: Next Steps
Possible outcomes of a visit to the NCBHS Behavioral Health Urgent Care include:
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Introduction to the Behavioral Health Urgent Care: Hospitalization From the Urgent Care
If an individual is found to need inpatient psychiatric hospitalization after completing a risk assessment, NCBHS will develop a plan to safely transfer them to a higher level of care.
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Introduction to the Behavioral Health Urgent Care Model: What Happens After?
All individuals who receive services from the NCBHS Crisis System of Care, whether they are seen through an Urgent Care, or by our Mobile Crisis Response Team, are assigned to an Engagement Specialist. The Engagement Specialist will continue to follow up with the individual and their family for at least 30 days post-crisis event.
Their Engagement Specialist can:
Introduction to the Behavioral Health Urgent Care: Who Should Be Referred
Anyone, regardless of age, insurance provider, or ability to pay, can utilize the Behavioral Health Urgent Care.
We are equipped to manage low to moderate acuity behavioral health crises, including:
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Introduction to the Behavioral Health Urgent Care: Who Should Not Be Referred
If you are not sure if someone would be appropriate for referral to the urgent care, call us first. We can provide guidance on the best option to maintain their safety, as well as the safety of the crisis responders.
If the individual in crisis is experiencing any of the following, they should not be referred to the NCBHS Behavioral Health Urgent Care.
Suicidal ideation with a plan, access, and/or intent
Acute psychosis (severe paranoia, delusions, command hallucinations to harm self or others)
In need of medical care, or suspicion behavior may be related to a medical condition
Only seeking immediate medication or psychiatry services (medication prescription or refills)
Intoxication, or suspected to be under the influence of a substance which could cause them to behave unpredictably.
Actively violent or physically aggressive
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Introduction to the Behavioral Health Urgent Care: Other Options for Crisis Care
For rapid on-site behavioral health crisis assistance for individuals 21 and younger, call the CARES Line, 1 (800)-345-9049.
If CARES does not accept the referral, call the Urgent Care, 1 (815)-554-4340, to request an assessment. A team will be dispatched to the location of the crisis as quickly as possible.
If the individual poses an immediate risk to their safety, or the safety of someone else, contact 911 for assistance. NCBHS or the hospital’s behavioral health staff will be notified of the need to evaluate the individual once the individual has been medically cleared at the emergency room.
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Introduction to the Behavioral Health Urgent Care: How to Access Our Program�
Hygienic Building NCBHS Ottawa Office
2970 Chartres St. 727 E. Etna Road
LaSalle, IL 61301 Ottawa, IL 61350
(815) 554-4340 (815) 434-4727
NCBHS has two Behavioral Health Urgent Care Locations.
Individuals and families can access services at either facility from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm, M-F. For behavioral health crises after-hours, on weekends, or holidays, they should utilize the CARES line (ages 21 and under) or call the NCBHS main office number (815) 224-1610.
If an individual is believed to be an immediate safety risk to themselves or others, always call 911.
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A Visit to the NCBHS Behavioral Health Urgent Care
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Let’s Visit the NCBHS Behavioral Health Urgent Care.
Your name is Joey. You are 7 years old and in the 2nd grade. You came to the urgent care with your Mom. Your school social worker asked her to bring you here to talk to someone because you got angry in class today and threw your books at another student.
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Who Will You See First?
When you first go in, it looks a lot like the doctor’s office, except there are no nurses or doctors.
Your mom walks up to the window and begins talking to someone. The person comes to the door and asks you and your mom to follow them into their office. You don’t really want to, you feel nervous and scared.
The person introduces themselves as Gracie. She says she is an Engagement Specialist and explains that she needs to ask a few questions and then you will talk to someone named Bianca.
Gracie shows you the bowl of fidget toys on the table. You can play with them while your mom and Gracie talk about why you are here. You focus on the fidget toys, because listening to them talk makes you feel nervous about what might happen next.
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What Next?
Gracie finishes talking with your mom and goes to get Bianca.
Bianca comes to the door and brings you and your mom to her office a few steps away. It’s quiet, with rainbow pictures on the wall and a fuzzy rug on the floor. You swish your feet over the rug while your mom tells Bianca about what happened at school, and some of the other things you have been doing lately. She talks about you getting into fights at school and hitting your little brother. It makes you feel sad to listen to your mom, because you can tell she is upset.
Bianca asks if It is okay if she talks to you by yourself for a little bit, your mom will be just outside the door. When you are by yourself, she asks if you ever think bad or sad things. Thinking about it makes you get even sadder. You remember that no one wanted to play with you at recess today, and you felt lonely because you thought no one likes you. This is why you got mad in reading class and threw your books at Connor when he told you to “shut up”.
You tell Bianca about it. She writes some things in her computer while you talk, but you can tell she is listening. Talking about it makes you feel less sad, and you start to tell her more about what makes you mad, and what you do when you get really angry.
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Tough Questions
Bianca listens while you talk and sometimes asks you questions about the things you say. One of the questions she asks is if you ever wish you were weren’t alive or maybe wish you could go to sleep and never wake up. You tell her that you sometimes think about not being alive, so you don’t have to go to school anymore. She asks if you ever want to do something to make yourself not be alive anymore. You say you sometimes do, but only when kids are mean to you at school and you feel lonely. You remember thinking it last week after you didn’t get picked to play soccer at recess.
Bianca asks if you have ever thought about what you would do to make yourself not be alive, You tell her no.
Next, she asks if you have ever done anything on purpose to hurt yourself or someone else. You say no, but sometimes you hurt other people on accident when you are mad and throw things, or when you hit your brother. You don’t want to hurt them, and it makes you sad when you think about it.
Bianca wants to know if you feel safe at home and if everyone at home is nice to you. You tell her that you like your family, they are nice, but you fight with your brother a lot. You are always grounded from your tablet because of fighting.
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Easy Questions
Bianca asks what you like to do and what makes you happy, You tell her about your video games, your dog, and playing baseball with your brother and neighbor in your backyard. You like to read, and you have friends at Boy Scouts. You like when you are at your grandma’s house every day after school, because you and your grandpa watch sports together, and he takes you fishing.
Finally, Bianca asks if it is okay if you go sit with Gracie for a little bit while she talks to mom by herself. While they talk, you and Gracie play with the fidget toys and talk about your dog and the things you like to do. Gracie has a dog too and tells you a funny story from when he was a puppy.
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Going Home
Your mom and Bianca come out of her office. Bianca says she needs to talk to her supervisor; it will only take a few minutes. You wait with your mom and Gracie while she’s gone. When Bianca comes back, she tells you and your mom that her supervisor agrees that you can do something called a safety plan. You go back in her office, and she asks you to tell her three things which always make you angry. Then she asks what you can do to help yourself feel better when you are angry or sad. The last thing she asks is about what the people around you, like your mom, brother, grandma, grandpa, and teachers can do to help you feel better. She talks to your mom about putting away sharp things and medicines. You and your mom stay a few more minutes to answer more questions and sign some papers.
When you’re done, you go back to Gracie’s office, she makes you an appointment next Tuesday with a counselor named John. He is going to help you talk more about your sad thoughts and feelings and learn ways to help yourself feel calm when you start to get angry or scared.
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Wrapping Up
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GRAPES Self-Care Strategy�Coping Skill
G = Gentleness to self
R = Relaxation
A = Accomplishment
P = Pleasure
E = Exercise
S = Social Contact
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Additional Resources
IL Warm Line – 866-359-7953 (Monday – Friday 8am - 5pm)
988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Crisis text line – 741741
Primary Care Providers
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Questions?
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Reference list
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Thank you for your dedication to the children in our communities!
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