Connecticut expands crisis-care options: 988, mobile teams, REST center and peer respite

Dana Began, of the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, outlined the state’s adult behavioral‑health crisis system as a three‑part continuum: “someone to talk to,” “someone to respond” and “somewhere safe to go.” The presentation emphasized telephone access through lines answered by the United Way of Connecticut, mobile crisis clinicians who can respond in person, and new non‑hospital settings for brief stays.

Began described Connecticut’s crisis‑line network and the transition to the national 988 lifeline, which launched nationwide on July 16, 2022 and is answered in Connecticut by the United Way of Connecticut alongside the longstanding adult action line and 211 for children. She said roughly 94–95% of crisis calls are resolved over the phone; about 5% are transferred to mobile crisis teams; and an “active rescue” (calling 911 to dispatch police/fire/EMS) occurs in 1% or fewer calls. Began stressed those numbers to counter public concern that calling a crisis number will typically trigger an emergency response.

On mobile response, Began said Connecticut has roughly 18 adult mobile crisis teams—10 nonprofit DMHAS‑funded teams and eight DMHAS‑operated teams—providing wide coverage but with gaps in portions of southwestern and southeastern Connecticut. Mobile clinicians may conduct in‑person clinical assessments, arrange appointments or, in cases meeting statutory criteria for imminent risk or grave disability, complete emergency certificates that enable transport for physician or APRN evaluation (the certificate is for assessment, not automatic committal).

To reduce reliance on emergency departments, Began presented two recent alternatives: REST (Rapid Evaluation Stabilization and Treatment), a 23‑hour crisis stabilization center in New Haven that can serve up to 10 people in a home‑like setting and is open to residents statewide, and a peer‑run respite called Gloria House in New Britain operated by New Life 2, which offers stays from a few days up to about a week and is staffed by people with lived experience. Began said Connecticut still has roughly 100 crisis‑respite beds statewide and that REST and peer respite programs are intended to bridge the gap between telephone/mobile response and inpatient care.

Began also described co‑response and diversion models—teams in Hartford (HEART) and New Haven (Compass) and a model at a 911 public safety answering point that diverts behavioral‑health calls to embedded clinicians—citing reduced use‑of‑force outcomes in pilot sites. She said police referrals remain a leading source of mobile crisis requests, and many such referrals still result in ED visits, which the new alternatives aim to reduce.

The presentation closed with audience questions about funding and expansion; Began said the peer respite will remain in place but further growth depends on demonstrating outcomes in a report to the legislature and on state and federal funding availability.