Flagler Health+ CAIR Center Extends Hours of Operation

The Flagler Health+ CAIR Center has extended its hours of operation to 24 hours a day, seven days a week, as it marks one year of operation. Flagler Health+ opened the CAIR (Crisis Assessment Intervention and Referral) Center on June 9, 2022, as a way to provide increased access to mental and behavioral health services, especially for those individuals in crisis or in urgent need of mental health care.

Dating back to its opening, the CAIR Center has had 854 visits with a total of 503 patients comprised of 408 adults and 95 youths. It is estimated that, were it not for the CAIR Center, approximately 75, or 15%, of the patients, would have to have been Baker Acted for lack of another option.

“The support being provided by the team at the CAIR Center has made a tremendous impact on those in our community with mental and behavioral health needs,” said Valerie Duquette, Director of the CAIR Center. “These services are vitally important to our community and exemplify the mission of Flagler Health+ as we are committed to improving not only the physical health of our neighbors but mental health as well.”

Serving both youth and adults, the Flagler Health+ CAIR Center is designed to provide access to and coordination of mental and behavioral health services in St. Johns and surrounding counties. The CAIR Center is a supportive, compassionate place to access crisis assessment, brief interventions, referral services, and care coordination support. The CAIR Center team also works with individuals to establish a long-term connection with a provider for continued support.

CAIR Center professionals work together to give clients the most personalized approach to obtaining mental health services. Often, the mental health struggle is tied to other needs in the household – food insecurity, lack of stable housing, difficulties obtaining prescriptions, and more. The CAIR Center then utilizes Care Connect+, a program established by Flagler Health+, to connect patients to other critical resources. Care Connect+ helps clients navigate the process to clarify questions, remove barriers, and connect the patient to social health services, as needed.

Coordinating with mental health partners in the community, the CAIR Center aims to reduce unnecessary Baker Act admissions, increase diversion from the criminal justice system, and reduce recidivism to hospitals while providing those in mental health crisis a supportive and approachable environment to receive support.

The CAIR Center at Flagler Health+ is located at 300 Health Park Blvd, Suite 1008 on the campus of Flagler Hospital and is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

For more information about the CAIR Center at Flagler Health+, please visit www.flaglerhealth.org/CAIR or call 904.819.5204.