Mobile crisis services

Mental health professionals are available to respond to calls, either on the scene or as a follow up, at the request of law enforcement officers. These professionals can then begin the assessment process, provide acute on-site crisis stabilization, and facilitate connections to needed care and services. Some teams may also respond to requests directly from community members.

For more information on this intervention, see this resource:

• Police-Mental Health Collaboration (PMHC) Toolkit: Mobile Crisis Team

Local Examples

Jackson County, OH Hopewell Health Centers

• The mental health agency, Hopewell Health Centers, operates a 24/7 mobile crisis team to assist regional county jails and law enforcement agencies in responding to people with behavioral health needs.
• Jail and law enforcement personnel can call the 24/7 crisis line to request on-scene services.

For more information on this example, see this resource:

• Gallia, Jackson, Meigs Counties Sheriffs' Offices, OH Learning Site Profile

Multnomah County, OR Project Respond

• The Project Respond Mobile Crisis Teams provide an immediate response to police requests for support within Multnomah County as well as requests originating through the Multnomah County Call Center.
• The team includes emergency department liaisons, family crisis stabilization specialists, peer wellness specialists, and library crisis services.
• Clinicians from Project Respond serve as members of the Gresham Police Department, providing follow-up support and services to individuals who have had contact with the police primarily due to mental health needs.
• Full-time clinicians from Project Respond serve within the Portland Police Bureau's Behavioral Health Unit and partner with Portland police officers to comprise a Behavioral Health Response Team, which provides co-responder follow-up support and connects individuals to appropriate services.

For more information on this example, see these resources:

• Project Respond
• Gresham Police Department
• Portland Police Department Behavioral Health Unit

Savannah, GA Savannah Police Department

• The Savannah Police Department Behavioral Health Unit (BHU) includes three primary components:
  • Enhanced Crisis Intervention Team
  • Behavioral Health Response Team
  • Service Coordination
• The Behavioral Health Response Team receives referrals via email from the BHU commander.
• Since its inception in 2020, the BHU has assisted more than 160 people.

For more information on this example, see this resource:

• Savannah Police – Behavioral Health Unit