Info

Behavioral Health Alternatives, Inc. first created as Crisis Services of Madison County, is a not-for-profit organization. Created in December of 1982, Crisis Services began as a joint venture of Mental Health Services, Southern Madison County, Inc. located in Granite City, Illinois and Madison County Mental Health Center, Inc. located in Alton, Illinois. At that time, Crisis Services operated as the after hours crisis intervention service for these two Mental Health Centers. The staff consisted of two full time clinical personnel. Funding was provided by the Illinois Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities indirectly through the two mental health centers. In July 1984, Crisis Services incorporated and became a separate not-for profit entity. Since then, there have been other services offered and added funding. The changes through the years have included a Residential Program, MI\SA Program, Community Placement Program, as well as contracting out services in surrounding counties and other states as an after hours Crisis Intervention Hotline. In 1990, with additional funding, new programs were created, including two types of specialized case management, and services for homeless families. For the first sixteen years, BHA specialized in crisis intervention with programs including a 24 hotline, face-to-face emergency services, and a short term residential program. The unique and innovative programs offered by Behavioral Health Alternatives at that time saved lives, reduced the number of inappropriate admissions to both private and state hospitals, and not only prevented, but broke the cycle of homelessness. The organization enabled individuals temporarily disabled due to a crisis, an opportunity to restore themselves to a functional level and return to the community. Behavioral Health Alternatives accomplished its' goal of enhancing the quality of life of people suffering from chronic mental illness. In the year 2000, the Illinois Department of Human Services requested that BHA change from providing crisis services, to developing a new program which will serve the elderly who have a mental illness and reside in a nursing facility. As part of this new line of services, BHA offers a Geriatric Psychosocial Rehabilitation Program. This program helps consumers to improve the quality of their life by empowering them to set goals and teaching them the skills necessary to accomplish these goals.