New Orleans Mobile Crisis Intervention Unit

RHD’s New Orleans Mobile Crisis Intervention Unit is integrated with the 911 system to provide a rapid, mobile response for individuals experiencing a behavioral health crisis.

RHD, in partnership with the City of New Orleans and its Health Department, has developed the New Orleans Mobile Crisis Intervention Unit (MCIU). This program’s mission is to create a fourth branch of the emergency response system that can more effectively respond to behavioral health crises called into 911 and provide a caring, effective, and innovative crisis response.

The multidisciplinary Mobile Crisis Intervention Unit integrates directly with the 911 system and is deployed as an alternative to Emergency Medical Services (EMS), the Fire Department, and the New Orleans Police Department to provide a rapid, mobile response that meets individuals experiencing a behavioral health crisis face-to-face in the community. The overall goal of this intervention is to help those in crisis experience quick relief and the most appropriate resolution to their crisis with the added benefit of relieving the other branches of the emergency response system.

The Mobile Crisis Intervention Unit will be deployed by licensed mental health professionals, certified peer specialists, and crisis workers fielding calls for behavioral health crises in close coordination with 911 dispatch call-takers. Dispatch will triage 911 calls, diverting those suspected of being behavioral health calls to MCIU clinicians. MCIU staff will resolve the call by phone, dispatch MCIU to the scene, or request that another emergency branch responds to the crisis, as appropriate.

The Mobile Crisis Intervention Unit will accept calls and be available to intervene 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, 365 days per year.

New Orleans Mobile Crisis Intervention Unit program goals:

• Provide a rapid, face-to-face mobile response to provide intervention for those calling 911 with a behavioral health crisis in the community, 24/7
• Offer assessment, support, and ensure connection in the least restrictive setting possible as an effective resolution to a crisis.
• Provide services that are consistent with evidence-based practices.
• Offer telephonic support, ensure resource connections, and referrals to those who do not require a face-to-face intervention.
• Integrate with New Orleans’ 911 dispatch emergency response system to fill the services gap of behavioral health crisis response.
• Reduce the use of other emergency responders, such as law enforcement and EMS, in crises outside of their professional scope.
• Provide follow up to crisis to ensure community members are successfully connected to the most appropriate level of care and support.

NOTE: If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Line by calling 988 or go to 988lifeline.org to use the chat feature.