Riverview representative urges Lane County to bridge funding gap for youth mobile crisis services
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Summary
A Riverview representative asked Lane County to allocate $2.4 million to sustain the county's Mobile Crisis Program for youth during the interim before a planned stabilization center opens, citing nearly 2,000 mobile calls last year and high rates of disruptive behavior among callers.
A representative speaking for Julie Williamson on April 14 urged the Lane County Board of Commissioners to consider interim funding to keep the Lane County Mobile Crisis Program operating for youth who fall below the county model's acuity threshold but still need urgent, community‑based response.
"Last year, our team responded to 1,965 mobile calls and handled 2,659 total calls," the speaker said, adding that 74% of calls involved disruptive, agitated or aggressive behavior and that without in‑home mobile response many youth end up in emergency departments or more intensive systems. The speaker said the program answers every call with a live person and can dispatch teams into homes within 20–30 minutes locally.
The representative asked the board to allocate $2,400,000 during the interim period while a stabilization center is planned and developed, saying the investment would reduce the number of youth who later require higher levels of care and that the program complements, rather than competes with, the planned stabilization center.
Board members acknowledged the program's role and noted the state rules constrain some funding uses; commissioners discussed bringing budget questions forward during upcoming budget deliberations.
