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Mobile Response and Stabilization Services

Best Practice for Youth and Family Crisis Response

Mobile Response and Stabilization Services (MRSS) is a nationally recognized best practice for crisis response. MRSS is a developmentally appropriate, trauma-informed  crisis intervention designed to meet the unique needs of children, youth, young adults, and their families. 

  • When you call 988, your 988 Crisis Counselor will ask MRSS to respond if needed and available for youth up to age 26.
  • Like 988 and other Oregon crisis services, MRSS means to prevent unnecessary trips to emergency departments or interactions with law enforcement. It also helps youth stay in their current living situations and reduce out-of-home placements.

Community mental health programs (CMHP) across Oregon are currently working to implement the MRSS model. For information on MRSS in your community, contact your local CMHP.

What Does MRSS Do?

MRSS provides: 
  • A face-to-face mobile response by staff trained to work with youth and families.
  • Help connecting youth and their families to rapid behavioral health supports at home and in their communities.
  • Help to de-escalate situations.

​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.

​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.​​​

Learn More about MRSS

​OHA invites those providing and/or supporting the implementation of MRSS to join in these monthly learning opportunities. Please email Maya Wolf to receive meeting access and updates.

Mobile Response and Stabilization Services Learning Collaborative

Family Support Specialist Learning Collaborative for IIBHT/MRSS