Crisis Emergency Services Mobile Crisis Teams - NYC Health

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Crisis Services/Mental Health: Mobile Crisis Teams

A Mobile Crisis Team is a group of behavioral health professionals — such as social workers, peer specialists and family peer advocates — who can provide care and short-term management for people who are experiencing severe behavioral crisis.

Service are primarily provided in people's homes, as well as in schools for children experiencing crisis. Mobile Crisis Teams are available in all five boroughs.

Mobile Crisis Teams respond to referrals placed between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. They typically provide an in-person visit within two hours of receiving a referral.

This service is for people who do not need immediate hospitalization.

Services Provided

Mobile Crisis Teams can provide mental health engagement, intervention and follow-up support to help people remain connected with treatment providers. The teams may offer a range of services, including:

Assessment

Crisis intervention

Supportive counseling

Information and referrals, including to community-based mental health services

Request a Team

You can request help from a Mobile Crisis Team if you are concerned about a family member, friend or acquaintance who is experiencing, or at risk of, a psychological crisis. You can also request a team for yourself. To request a team, call 988.

Transport to Psychiatric Emergency Room

If a Mobile Crisis Team determines that a person in crisis needs further psychiatric or medical assessment, they can arrange for that person to be transported to a hospital psychiatric emergency room.

Mobile Crisis Teams may direct EMS or police to take a person to an emergency room against their will only if they have a mental illness (or the appearance of mental illness) and are a danger to themselves or others. This is in accordance with NYS Mental Hygiene Law.

For more information, contact 988.

Additional Resources

Mobile Crisis Team Frequently Asked Questions (PDF)

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More Information

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Emergency/Crisis Services