Community Outreach and Stabilization Team (COAST)

Sarah Haefele, LCSW–Supervisor                                                                                                                                              sarah.haefele@deschutes.org 

The Community Outreach and Stabilization Team (COAST) is a group of specialty programs that provide services to individuals with an SPMI diagnosis.  

FOUNDATIONS Program - Non-Emergency Rental Assistance  
Foundations provides tenant-based rental assistance to adults diagnosed with a serious and persistent mental illness (SPMI).  The program helps individuals find and maintain independent housing. 

Eligibility:  Adults with SPMI diagnosis who have ongoing income.

Supported Housing for Behavioral Health: 

• Horizon House:  14-unit apartment complex providing transitional housing (maximum two years) for adults with serious mental illness.    
• Emma’s Place:  11-unit complex providing permanent low-income housing for individuals with serious and persistent mental illness.  

Eligibility: Applicants must be able to pay established rent and must meet other program criteria. 

Vocational Support 

• The Vocational Support program provides services for open DCBH clients with a SPMI/SMI diagnosis who want to seek competitive employment.  Vocational Support Specialists assist with job preparation and job search, benefits planning, skills training for employment, as well as job development with various agencies to identify and create partnerships with local employers. The Vocational Support team also provides support in career development, educational pursuits, and cognitive training.  

Eligibility:  Adults enrolled in DCBH services who have a SPMI/SMI diagnosis and are interested in exploring employment.  We are currently unable to serve our youth programs. 

Older Adult Team 

The Older Adult program offers behavioral health treatment to elders with a serious mental illness and complex health conditions. Our multidisciplinary team provides specialty, community-based services with the goal of stabilizing and supporting high risk older adults. Services Provided: Screening, assessment, therapy, skills training, psychiatric consultation, medication management, PASRR evaluations, care coordination and case management.

          Eligibility: 

• A current Deschutes County resident  age 65+  who have a serious mental illness and a complex medical condition requiring specialty behavioral health care, and 
• Have had a recent psychiatric hospitalization, or 
• Are coming in contact with multiple systems (e.g. law enforcement, crisis services, adult protective services)​, or
• Require specialty community based supports due to risk of  psychiatric hospitalization, multiple system contacts, or loss of care placements.

How to access services: 

Referrals are accepted from PCP’s, care facilities, and community partners serving older adults. For PCP’s and care facilities use this referral form,  for other community partners use this form.   Referrals can be emailed to olderadultservices@deschutes.org or faxed to (541) 388-6617.

Deschutes County Behavioral Health primarily works with those on the Oregon Health Plan (OHP).  For those not on OHP, we offer an income-based sliding-fee scale for behavioral health services not covered by other insurance plans.