Crisis Response

An effective crisis services continuum, with customizations for adult and child/family populations, provides all individuals in crisis a clear pathway for accessing care and options for how to best meet their behavioral health needs. Innovations Institute works collaboratively with state and local government as they develop best practice care pathways to provide alternatives to emergency department and law enforcement responses and address the issues of safety, choice, and personal freedom. With our expertise in addressing the needs of children, youth, young adults, and their families, our work with public systems focuses on the Mobile Response and Stabilization Services (MRSS) model as an evidence-based customization to best meet the needs of this population.

For many years individuals experiencing behavioral health crises were advised to go to hospital emergency departments, or those observing the crisis to dial 911 resulting in a law enforcement response. Overreliance on the emergency department or law enforcement as the first points of contact for individuals with or at risk for serious mental illness and serious emotional disturbance often results in delayed treatment; exposure to additional trauma, injury, and death; and highlights the need to expand and enhance the behavioral health crisis service system. Our work focuses on these enhancements to achieve the best possible outcomes for people experiencing behavioral health crises, and their families.