The Corvallis/Benton County Situation Table helped 70 people during its first year operating according to a news release from the Corvallis Police Department.
According to the news release, “The Situation Table is a risk-based, rapid triage model that regularly brings together multiple human service providers to address situations where individuals and/or families are experiencing acutely elevated risk. The well-structured process focuses on evaluating risk factors and identifying a team of community partners to connect that person or family with services to help them with their specific needs.”
The Situation Table has reviewed a total of 54 situations in its first year.
On average, each situation had nine risk factors, including homelessness, mental health, physical health, a “criminal nexus” (as a victim and/or offender) and substance use. 85% of the at-risk situations were identified as individuals, while the remaining 15% were identified as families. Half of the people served by the Table were between the ages of 40 and 60.
According to the news release, the Situation Table’s outreach teams were able to lower risk in nearly 60% of situations.
“The Situation Table is really about getting people to the starting line, then each agency can then help people get to the finish line — which could take months or even longer,” said Corvallis Police Department Captain Joel Goodwin in the news release.
Prompted by the Corvallis/Benton County Situation Table’s initial success, a new Situation Table has just started in nearby Albany.
Thirty-eight attendees representing 22 agencies met at the Albany Police Department on Nov. 6 and 7 to be trained by representatives from Operation 2 Save Lives & QRT National and Cordata on how Situation Tables work. The Albany Situation Table held its first meeting on Nov. 19.
With the close proximity between Corvallis and Albany, there is expected to be some service overlap between the Tables and some agencies are planning on supporting both Tables, according to the news release.
“As service providers continue to learn of people experiencing acutely elevated risk, they will continue to bring those situations forward to the Situation Table to work towards solutions,” the news release stated.
