Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Mobile Crisis topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Baltimore County crisis co-responder teams cite high diversion rates but say family dynamics, resource limits create persistent gaps
Summary
County crisis-services representatives said co-responder teams partnering clinicians with officers divert the majority of crisis calls from emergency departments and arrests, but family expectations, repeated noncriminal calls and limited ER/ stabilization capacity remain challenges.
Baltimore County crisis-services staff told the coordinating group that the county’s mobile crisis and co-responder model has helped divert most behavioral-health crisis calls away from emergency rooms and the criminal justice system, but limitations remain.
A crisis-services representative described a system that pairs a licensed clinician with a specially trained officer to respond to calls and to "complete an assessment of the individual" in the least-restrictive setting. The presenter said the program typically operates above a 64% diversion rate and is now integrated with the national 988 rollout.
Why it matters: Effective mobile crisis responses can reduce unnecessary arrests and emergency-room use, but the system depends on available follow-up treatment, ER stabilization centers and community resources.
Presenters and officers described frequent scenarios in which families call repeatedly or insist on hospitalization even when clinicians do not judge an emergency petition appropriate. The team emphasized de-escalation and on-scene support: officers often spend hours coordinating family handoffs and arranging warm referrals to community services.
The discussion also covered emergency petitions (EPs), which qualified clinicians or peace officers can file to secure short-term hospital evaluation. County responders said police must still secure transport and that clinicians generally remain out of immediate danger zones until scenes are declared safe. One member said the clinician "will remain out of the danger zone" while an officer secures the scene.
County officials praised the team’s work: "For 25 years, I remember when this program began," one member said, thanking the mobile crisis staff and noting the workload relief for police. At the same time, members said more resources—particularly stabilization beds and ER-based services—are needed to close the remaining gaps.
Next steps: Members requested more information-sharing about the crisis-center availability and noted that a price-stabilization or ER-based stabilization center would address a missing piece in the county system.
