Children and Families

Crisis Services

Crisis Stabilization Beds

Crisis Stabilization Beds provide short-term, out-of-home care in a staff secured setting. The Crisis Stabilization Program provides treatment, psychiatric evaluation, and medication management services for eligible youth. Referrals to the program need to be made through your local crisis team.

First Call

First Call provides a phone or face-to-face response to children and families in crisis, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The definition of crisis is determined by the caller. First Call links families with other needed resources within HowardCenter and the larger community. First Call can directly arrange crisis respite services. First Call is the designated mental health screener for Chittenden County and when appropriate will screen children for hospital diversion services or psychiatric hospitalization.

First Call 24/7 Crisis Line
Phone: 802-488-7777