Crisis Prevention and Response
New York Systemic, Therapeutic, Assessment Resources and Treatment (NYSTART)/ Crisis Services for Individuals with Intellectual and/or Developmental Disabilities (CSIDD) offers crisis prevention and response services to people who have both developmental disabilities and complex behavioral needs, as well as to their families and those who provide supports. Services are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to OPWDD eligible individuals age 6 and over who meet NYSTART/CSIDD eligibility. The goal of NYSTART/CSIDD is to build relationships and supports across service systems to help people remain in their homes and communities and enhance the ability of the community to support them.
NYSTART/CSIDD Teams provide the following services:
- Community partnerships and systems linkages
- Systemic and clinical consultation and training
- Community training and education
- Clinical Education Team training meetings
- Cross Systems Crisis Prevention and Intervention Planning
- Mobile crisis support and response for individuals enrolled in CSIDD services
- Outreach and follow up
- Comprehensive Service Evaluation
- In-Home Therapeutic Supports
- Planned and Emergency Resource Center services
All CSIDD Teams are certified by the National Center for START services. For more information on the National Center for START Services and the START Model, please visit their website at: https://centerforstartservices.org/.
Referrals can be made by people seeking services, families, service providers, hospitals, psychiatric centers and other crisis services. To make a referral or for more information, please contact the provider in your area or reach out to a CSIDD Regional Liaison.
Resource Center
Resource Centers offer structured, community-based, home-like settings that focus on positive, strengths-based, and person-centered treatment approaches with the goal of avoiding hospitalizations or emergency services and provides short term, community-based supports to individuals who are unable to access other community respite options.
Benefits of a Resource Center stay
- Structured therapeutic social environment and group activities
- Treatment monitoring
- Stress Reduction Skills
- Stabilization, assessment, intervention, and planning for strengths and service needs
- Enhanced strengths, skills, interests, and positive experiences
- Caregiver training
- Solution-focused skills building
- Increased self-esteem and independence
To be eligible for a Resource Center admission, the individual must be:
- Be enrolled in and be receiving NYSTART/CSIDD;
- Be enrolled in the HCBS Waiver;
- Not reside in an OPWDD certified setting, unless there is prior OPWDD approval;
- Have an expected discharge/transition plan back to their home or community setting at the completion of the Resource Center stay; and either be
- 21 years of age or older; or
- 18-20 years old and not currently receiving educational services, with Developmental Disability Regional Office (DDRO) approval; or
- 18-20 years old and actively receiving educational services but requesting Resource Center use during a school vacation or holiday, with DDRO approval.
Planned Vs. Emergency Admissions
Planned Stays are intended to serve eligible NYSTART/CSIDD enrollees who live with their families or natural supports and may not have been able to use traditional respite because of ongoing behavioral health challenges. After assessment and approval, visits can be scheduled as needed and as available.
Emergency Stays are an option to all those enrolled in NYSTART/CSIDD and are focused on stability, assessment, intervention, and planning necessary to avoid imminent risk of hospitalization. An emergency admission may serve as a transition from an acute psychiatric hospitalization to the individual’s residence if a clear discharge plan is identified. Emergency admissions may be accessed after an emergency evaluation by the NYSTART/CSIDD Clinical Team and approval by OPWDD.
Staffing
Resource Centers provide therapeutic services 24 hours a day, 365 days per year and emergency admissions can occur at any time with OPWDD authorization. NYSTART/CSIDD Coordinators maintain involvement during Resource Center admissions and during any crisis events. The Resource Center is staffed with START-informed counselors who must have at least two years of relevant experience with the behavioral health aspects of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and have completed training in the mental health aspects of individuals with developmental disabilities.
For location-specific information or questions, please reach out to the CSIDD Provider or RO Liaison (https://opwdd.ny.gov/contact-us/) in your OPWDD Region.