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Mobile Response and Stabilization Services

Overview

Mobile Response and Stabilization Services (MRSS) are developmentally appropriate crisis response services for:

  • Children, youth and young adults (through age 20) and
  • The families or caregivers of children, youth and young adults.

When someone calls 988 or their Community Mental Health Program (CMHP) local crisis line, a crisis counselor will link them to MRSS if they need it.

MRSS is available in each Oregon county. These services:

  • Provide an in-person, face-to-face crisis response to the youth or family.
  • Connect youth and their families to rapid behavioral health supports at home and in their communities.
  • Help de-escalate situations.
  • Prevent unnecessary trips to emergency departments and interactions with law enforcement.

MRSS is an evidence-based best practice to meet the unique needs of children, youth, young adults and their families.

  • Youth and their caregivers are encouraged to call or text 988 for support before a crisis occurs.
  • If youth and families need  more support, they can get stabilization services for up to 56 days after the initial crisis.​
  • Keep youth in their current living situations.
  • Reduce out-of-home placements.
  • Provide a community-based, trauma-informed intervention for youth and their families.
  • Provide immediate support to keep youth safe at home, school and in the community.
  • Connect youth and families to ongoing services and supports​

Initial Crisis Response

When dispatched, two-person teams can provide an in-person response that includes:

  • A qualified behavioral health care professional and
  • A qualified mental health associate or Peer Support Specialist trained in crisis response.

These teams will provide age- and developmentally appropriate:

  • Screening and assessment;
  • Stabilization and de-escalation of the situation; and
  • Coordination with and referrals to needed health, social and other services or supports.

Support during the immediate face-to-face response can last up to 72 hours. This helps youth and their families:

  • Get support at home or in their community and
  • Avoid unnecessary visits to the emergency room.

Stabilization Services

The in-person team works with the youth and their family to understand the support they need. If the team finds that the youth and family need more support, they can provide stabilization services and supports. These services and supports are:

  • Short-term help while the family waits for long-term, ongoing services to be available in their community.
  • Available for up to 56 days (eight weeks) after the initial crisis or until the family are connected to longer-term supports.

Services may include, as needed:

  • Individual and/or family mental health therapy,
  • Crisis and safety planning,
  • Skills training,
  • Family and youth peer-delivered services,
  • Medication management,
  • Crisis response and de-escalation,
  • Care coordination, and
  • Discharge planning.

Stay tuned read these more frequently asked questions about MRSS.

Resources

  
#CrisisTalk website
988 Crisis Jam Learning Community
Articulating the Need for Child MRSS vs. Other Crisis Response Models
Crisis Now: Transforming Crisis Services
Evolution of the System of Care Approach
Infographic of MRSS in Oregon
Infographic of MRSS in Oregon (Spanish)
Making the Case for a Comprehensive Children’s Crisis Continuum of Care
MRSS Best Practices
MRSS Overview
MRSS Resources
National Guidelines for Behavioral Health Crisis Care
Report on International Crisis Response Team Trainings
Roadmap to the Ideal Crisis System
Strategy Brief: New Jersey's MRSS Intervention


Learning Collaborative

CMHPs and providers: Join OHA staff and guest speakers the second and fourth Mondays starting at 10 a.m. Pacific Time. for our Crisis System Learning Collaborative.

While attendance is optional, OHA asks that each CMHP send at least one staff to attend.

  • 10 to 10:45 a.m. focuses on MRSS, children and families.
  • 10:45 to 11:30 a.m. focuses on adult crisis response services.

Click here to join the meeting

Or call in (audio only):

  • +1 971-277-2343,,359995712#  
  • Conference ID: 359 995 712#

Infographics

MRSS-En.png

Learn how MRSS works: View the graphics in English and Spanish

Download print-ready versions in English and Spanish

Contacts

Page Info

Beth Holliman
Intensive Community-Based Services Coordinator​

she/her/hers​​

​Brian Pitkin 
Children's 988/Mobile Response and Stabilization Services Coordinator

he/him/his