Overview
Mobile Response and Stabilization Services (MRSS) is a nationally recognized best practice for crisis response. The MRSS model is designed to provide youth and their families with a developmentally appropriate crisis intervention that is designed to meet the unique needs of children, youth, young adults, and their families.
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.
MRSS services will provide the following:
- A face-to-face mobile response for youth and their families by staff trained to work with youth and families
- Assistance for youth and their families to connect to rapid behavioral health supports at home and in their communities
- Help to de-escalate situations
- Prevent unnecessary trips to emergency departments and interactions with law enforcement
- 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
Want to better understand the MRSS model? Read these key documents:
Want to learn more about MRSS implementation across the nation? Check out these webinars and videos:
Still curious and want to know more? Visit these websites:
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 for more frequently asked questions about MRSS.