When someone experiences a mental health crisis, they’re often overwhelmed, vulnerable, and unsure of what will come next. Journey’s Crisis Stabilization program steps in during that critical time to provide short-term, intensive support. Case managers help clients regain stability, connect with care, and navigate the challenges of daily life during recovery. Sukhwinder Badwal, a case manager with the Crisis Stabilization team, recently shared a story about her work at Journey.
Sukhwinder shared about a recent client she was working with - a woman with a terminal cancer diagnosis who had recently survived a suicide attempt. “When we got her referral, we knew the outcome might not be good,” she said. “It would be either the cancer or suicide. The client was very upfront in saying, ‘Once I am discharged, I will go home and end my life.’”
Instead of offering solutions or advice right away, Sukhwinder simply showed up. “I was going into the hospital three times a week,” she said. “Just sitting with her, listening to her stories - even when they repeated. I became the one constant person she could count on.”
Over the next two months, something shifted. The client started to think of ways she could stay active after discharge, then began to reconnect with friends, and eventually returned to the things she once loved. She started playing music again, performed at a local bar with her band, and even resumed driving and walking her dogs.
“She said the biggest thing was just that I showed up,” said Sukhwinder. “She got her independence back. That’s what crisis stabilization is all about.”
What Is Crisis Stabilization?
Journey’s Crisis Stabilization program is a short-term service - typically lasting up to 90 days. They step in immediately following an acute mental health episode or directly after a person is discharged from the hospital. Case managers support clients as they transition back into daily life, connect to providers, regain independence, and re-engage with their community.
Unlike other programs, Crisis Stabilization accepts individuals regardless of insurance status, including commercial plans,Medicaid, Medicare, and even those who are uninsured. The program allows for flexibility, responsiveness, and deep relational work. “We’re not just making calls or offering rides,” Sukhwinder explained. “We stand beside clients at appointments. We sit in ERs. We listen. We build trust.”
Beyond Transportation
There’s a common misconception, Sukhwinder said, that the program is mainly a transportation service. “Sometimes we get calls just asking for rides,” she shared. “But we do so much more. We become that one stable person in a client’s life when everything else is uncertain.”
Through the course of the program, case managers help clients reconnect with their own sense of agency. That can mean helping them apply for housing, find a job, schedule therapy, or simply reminding them what independence feels like. “Sometimes we don’t give advice,” Sukhwinder said. “We just tell them, ‘If you want to vent, I’m here.’”
The Bigger Picture
What Sukhwinder wants the Dane County community to know about Crisis Stabilization is simple: “We’re not just case managers. We’re advocates, connectors, companions. We’re often the only consistent support someone has.This work is short-term, but the impact has the potential to last a lifetime. ”
