Adult Behavioral Health

Intake Team

Our Adult Behavioral Health Intake Team provides access to information and referral to the services provided at Olmsted County as well as information about services in our community. If you are unsure how to find services for your mental or behavioral health, call the intake line at 507-328-6558.

Targeted Case Management

The Adult Behavioral Health unit provides case management services to persons who have been diagnosed with a Serious and Persistent Mental Illness (SPMI) by a mental health professional. The State of Minnesota has defined the criteria for SPMI as follows:

  • The adult has undergone two or more episodes of inpatient care for a mental illness within the preceding 24 months.
  • The adult has experienced a continuous psychiatric hospitalization or residential treatment exceeding six months duration with the preceding 12 months.
  • The adult has a diagnosis of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression, or borderline personality disorder.
  • A court has, in the last three years, committed the adult as a mentally ill person under chapter 253B or the adult's commitment has been stayed or continued.

Assertive Community Treatment (ACT)

ACT is an intensive nonresidential treatment which involves rehabilitative mental health services. ACT helps people become independent and integrate into the community as they experience recovery. ACT provides a single, fixed point of responsibility for treatment, rehabilitation, and support. Services are offered 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in a community-based setting. If you would like to find out more about these services, call 507-328-6250.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) 

The Olmsted County DBT Program is a state certified intensive outpatient program that serves adult men and women. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is an evidenced-based practice shown to be the most effective form of treatment available for reducing suicide and self-injury and improving the quality of life for persons with borderline personality disorder and/or other mental health diagnoses.

Research has demonstrated that DBT is the most effective form of treatment available for reducing suicide and self-injury and improving quality of life for persons with borderline personality disorder.

The program combines DBT with coordinated community support services with the goal of reducing the need for hospitalization and increasing the individual’s ability to participate in community living.

Criteria for admission to the program include:

  • 18 years of age or older
  • Meet one of the following criteria:
    • Have a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder; or
    • Have multiple mental health diagnoses and exhibit behaviors characterized by impulsivity, intentional self-harm behavior, and be at significant risk of death, disability, or severe problems across multiple life areas.
    • Understand and be cognitively capable of participating in DBT as an intensive therapy program and be able and willing to follow program policies and rules assuring safety of self and others.
  • Be at significant risk of one or more of the following if DBT is not provided
    • Mental health crisis.
    • Requiring a more restrictive setting such as hospitalization.
    • Decompensation.
    • Engaging in intentional self-harm behavior.

Program components:

  • Skills Training group meet weekly for 2 hours.
  • Access to skills coaching via phone 24 hours/day 7 days/week.
  • Individual therapy once per week.
  • Consultation to the therapists.

Considering DBT?

  • DBT classes are held once a week for two hours.
  • DBT is a one-year commitment. If you have a case manager, you will continue to meet with your case manager once a month.
  • The Skills phone will be available to you for coaching 24 hours a day, seven days a week. These coaching calls are a brief, 5–10-minute call. The call is skill-driven and not meant to be a therapy call. We encourage you to use the skills phone for coaching when a problem arises, or before. It is recommended that a skills call be initiated at least once a week.
  • You will be completing a diary card every day on skills you have been practicing and presenting in group. You will be using a therapy card to track target behaviors/urges, etc. and share individually with your therapist, weekly.
  • When joining DBT, you are required to attend regular psychiatry appointments and stay medication compliant. Due to the State’s DBT certification requirements, you are also required to participate in weekly DBT therapy, which is provided by a licensed therapist with the Olmsted County DBT Program. If you have a current therapist, we do require you to stop seeing the therapist while you are in the DBT Program. Most clients who participate in our program find their current therapist is willing to work with them again if needed after they have completed the one-year DBT Program.
  • Upon your commitment to DBT, you will participate in 3-4 orientation sessions with DBT therapists. Group rules, diagnosis information, bio-social theory, explanation of the modules, and how to fill out a diary card and behavior chain analysis, etc. will be explained.
  • Attendance is essential if you want to change your life. In order to learn the skills, you must show up! Members will not be allowed to return to the group after four missed sessions. This is also expected in weekly individual DBT therapy.

Make a referral for DBT using the form below, or email DBTReferrals@olmstedcounty.gov.

DBT Referral form

Please contact us at 507-328-6400 if you have questions or would like to make a referral.

Substance Use Services 

Services provided to clients in Olmsted County include:

  • Information and referral.
  • Rule 24 funding for substance use treatment.
  • Rule 24 determines financial eligibility for funding.
  • There are specific income guidelines for eligibility for state funding.

Additional information can be found by visiting the substance use disorder webpage.

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