Highlights from CT's Youth Mobile Crisis Services Annual Report
Connecticut's Mobile Crisis Intervention Services (Mobile Crisis) provides a critical service for children, youth, and families when a child is experiencing an emotional or behavioral crisis. The program serves children in their homes, schools, and communities, reduces the number of visits to hospital emergency rooms, and diverts children from high-end interventions (such as hospitalization or arrest) if a lower level of care is a safe and effective alternative. Families, schools, hospitals, and others can access Mobile Crisis for free by dialing 2-1-1-1 or 9-8-8, or by visiting
www.mobilecrisisempsct.org.
Since 2009, CHDI has provided data analysis, reporting, and quality improvement for the program through our Mobile Crisis Performance Improvement Center (PIC). An annual report summarizes CHDI's findings on key indicators of Mobile Crisis service access, quality, and outcomes and is used to develop quality improvement activities.
Findings from this year's Mobile Crisis Annual Report showed that the service continued to meet the needs of children and families, despite showing signs of strain as providers faced significant staffing shortages and continued challenges from the pandemic.
Mobile Crisis Annual Report (SFY 2022) highlights:
- Mobile Crisis served 10,090 children through 13,328 episodes of care, an increase of 26% episodes from the previous year.
- Children’s functioning and problem severity improved at greater rates than last year.
- 92.1% of all calls received a mobile, in-person response, exceeding the 90% benchmark
- 79.2% of all mobile responses occurred within 45 minutes, dropping slightly below the 80% benchmark for the first time since 2011
- Schools were once again the top referral source, making up 44% of all Mobile Crisis referrals.
- For the second year in a row, females were served more than males (53% vs. 47%), marking a shift from historic trends that mirrors increasing rates of behavioral health concerns among females
- Mobile Crisis served a diverse group of youth, including higher rates of Black and Hispanic youth compared to the Connecticut population.
- View the full report.
In preparation for the expansion of Mobile Crisis to support 24/7 in-person mobile response, Connecticut has significantly increased funding for the service for SFY 2023. Funds are being used to increase salaries, retain existing staff, hire additional clinicians, and invest in workforce development.
Learn more about CHDI's Mobile Crisis Performance Improvement Center.
