Vermont seeks input on expanding mobile crisis intervention services

BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) - Federal money is available to Vermont to expand mobile crisis intervention services in communities and the state is seeking feedback on where and how those resources should be used.

The state currently has a yearlong grant to study how to boost mobile crisis services to help Vermonters with mental health or substance use. While the state expects to get significant money to cover Medicaid patients who use those services, state officials say they’re also looking at how to cover people with commercial insurance or Medicare.

“We want to ensure that this mobile crisis service is available to all Vermonters. We don’t want the first phone call to a crisis line to be a question as to whether someone is on Medicaid or not,” said Dylan Frazer, deputy director of Medicaid policy.

Part of the survey they just released aims to figure out who in Vermont might need mobile crisis intervention services so they can figure out the financial side of the picture. The survey is open until April 29th.

Copyright 2022 WCAX. All rights reserved.