Crisis Services Continuum
Vaya Health supports a strong continuum of services to help members in crisis. Network providers must know how to access crisis response services that are appropriate to the member’s specific situation.
All network providers are required to maintain appropriate emergency coverage, including after-hours coverage, and to respond in a timely and appropriate manner to any member who is in crisis. Additional resources include Vaya’s 24/7 Behavioral Health Crisis Line, local walk-in centers, Mobile Crisis Management (MCM), and facility-based crisis (FBC) centers.
These options serve as alternatives to the emergency department (ED) and should be attempted first unless the situation is life-threatening. Options become more limited once a person enters the ED.
24/7 Behavioral Health Crisis Line: 1-800-849-6127
Vaya’s Member Services Department operates a toll-free, 24-hour Behavioral Health Crisis Line at 1-800-849-6127 for telephonic screening, crisis intervention, and appointment referrals. The Behavioral Health Crisis Line is answered by a live person.
Member Services staff can address the following issues:
- Crisis intervention, including referral to mobile crisis services
- Management and provision of referrals for emergent, urgent, and routine calls
- Referrals for diagnostic or Comprehensive Clinical Assessments
- Information about community (non-treatment) resources
- Enrollment of an individual into a Vaya Health Plan
- Eligibility questions
- Recording and resolution of complaints or grievances
- General information about Vaya and public mental health, substance use, and intellectual/developmental disability (IDD) services available in our catchment area
Walk-in centers
Members who are experiencing a crisis that is not life-threatening may visit a walk-in center without an appointment. Walk-in centers are open during regular weekday business hours and offer same-day assessments, triaged by need, in all counties Vaya serves.
The centers also provide services such as medication management, individual therapy, and group therapy for individuals with mental health, substance use, and/or IDD needs.
Click here to view a list of walk-in centers throughout the region. You may also call Vaya’s 24/7 Behavioral Health Crisis Line at 1-800-849-6127 for assistance.
Mobile crisis services
Members who need immediate access to crisis services can call their area Mobile Crisis Management (MCM) team. Vaya works with comprehensive providers to cover our catchment area and other providers in counties outside our catchment area. Mobile crisis services are considered crisis stabilization services and are available 24/7 to provide immediate behavioral health help wherever it is needed. MCM services are provided at no cost to the individual, regardless of insurance status or Medicaid eligibility.
Use the chart below to identify the MCM team and phone number for the county where the crisis occurs. You may also reach your local team by calling Vaya’s 24/7 Behavioral Health Crisis Line at 1-800-849-6127.
Mobile Crisis by County
| RHA Health Services MCM Central: Alamance, Caswell, Franklin, Granville, Person, or Vance | 1-844-709-4097 |
| RHA Health Services MCM West: Alexander, Buncombe, Caldwell, Henderson, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Transylvania, or Yancey | 1-888-573-1006 |
| Daymark Recovery Services: Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Rockingham, Rowan, Stokes, Watauga, or Wilkes | 1-866-275-9552 |
| Monarch: Chatham | 1-800-568-7235 |
| Appalachian Community Services: Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon, or Swain | 1-888-315-2880 |
| Freedom House Recovery Center: also provides MCM in Alamance and Person | 1-866-275-9552 |
Relationship between first responders and mobile crisis
Vaya contracts with three comprehensive providers to deliver MCM and other crisis services throughout our catchment area. Service lines with first responder responsibilities, such as Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) team or Intensive In-Home services, should not use MCM as the first responder, even if it is their own MCM team. This does not meet the intent of a first responder. The first responder function should be separate.
MCM, which is a higher-level service, should only be utilized once the first responder attempted telephonic intervention or a face-to-face assessment and implementation of the member’s crisis plan, without success.
Facility-based crisis centers
There are four adult and one child/adolescent facility-based crisis centers (FBCs) for detox or crisis stabilization in Vaya’s catchment area. Vaya also contracts with other FBCs outside our catchment area. FBCs provide 24/7 non-hospital medical services to individuals who are experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis. They provide community-based treatment alternatives for people seeking treatment voluntarily, and most accept members who have been involuntarily committed to treatment.
To inquire about member admission to an FBC, we encourage you to call the facility first to assess availability and appropriateness.
Vaya supports Facility Based Crisis Centers at the following facilities:
- Adult: The Neil Dobbins Center, 356 Biltmore Ave., Asheville, NC 28801
- Adult: The Balsam Center, 91 Timberlane Road, Waynesville, NC 28786
- Adult: Caldwell C3 Comprehensive Care Center, 2415 Morganton Blvd. SW, Lenoir, NC 28645
- Adult: Synergy Recovery at the Shirley B. Randleman Center, 118 Peace St., North Wilkesboro, NC 28659
- Child/Adolescent: Caiyalynn Burrell Child Crisis Center at 277 Biltmore Ave. Asheville, NC 28801