Mental health crisis intervention services are provided by teams of mental health workers (psychiatrists, RN’s, MSW’s, psychologists, psychiatric technicians) who intervene in situations where an individual’s mental or emotional condition results in behavior which constitutes an imminent danger to him or herself or to another. Mobile crisis teams visit people in their homes or community sites, and others meet clients in clinics or hospital emergency rooms. Psychiatric emergency rooms and mental health facilities can provide crisis services to people in crisis who can travel or get help with transportation to a facility.
Children/Youth:
In Connecticut, the Department of Children and Families (DCF) provides crisis services for children and youth through Mobile Crisis Intervention Services, http://www.empsct.org/. Point of entry is through 2-1-1. If a child is in crisis, dial 2-1-1 (open 24/7) and the crisis staff will link you to the appropriate mobile crisis provider for your town. Parents, schools, case managers, or the child or teen themselves can call 2-1-1 for help.
Adults:
The Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) provides the same type of service for adults through local mental health authorities. Crisis services are delivered through crisis phone lines, mobile crisis teams, general hospital emergency rooms, walk-in clinics, and full-time, on-site crisis intervention staff. DMHAS-funded emergency crisis intervention centers are located throughout the state.
To Find Providers in Connecticut’s Community Resources Database: Search by service names:
Urgent Crisis Center Locations:
In addition to the Mobile Crisis Intervention Services, short-term, high-intensity care centers for children and youth experiencing mental health crises have also been created at various locations in Connecticut. Services are available to children and youth ages 0 to 18 years facing a mental health crisis that does not require hospitalization. Crisis intervention, diagnostics, safety planning, and treatment recommendations with linkage to services are being provided at these crisis centers. For a link to the centers set up around the state, visit the 2-1-1 website here: 2-1-1 Connecticut (211ct.org)
SOURCES: Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS); Department of Children and Families (DCF)
PREPARED BY: 211/ch
CONTENT LAST REVIEWED: November2023