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. 2025 Jul;52(4):819-827.
doi: 10.1007/s10488-024-01368-0. Epub 2024 Mar 18.

State Policies Associated with Availability of Mobile Crisis Teams

Ashlyn Burns  1 , Nir Menachemi  2 , Olena Mazurenko  2 , Michelle P Salyers  3 , Valerie A Yeager  2
Affiliations

State Policies Associated with Availability of Mobile Crisis Teams

Ashlyn Burns et al. Adm Policy Ment Health. 2025 Jul.

Abstract

Mobile crisis teams are comprised of multidisciplinary mental health professionals that respond to mental health crisis calls in community settings. This study identified counties with mobile crisis teams and examined state policies associated with mobile crisis teams. Descriptive statistics and geographic information system software were used to quantify and map counties with mobile crisis teams in the United States. Relationships between state policies and mobile crisis teams were examined using an adjusted logistic regression model, controlling for county characteristics and accounting for clustering by state. Approximately 40% (n = 1,245) of all counties in the US have at least one mobile crisis team. Counties in states with legislation in place to fund the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline were more likely to have a mobile crisis team (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR): 2.0; Confidence Interval (CI): 1.23-3.26), whereas counties in states with 1115 waivers restricting Medicaid benefits were less likely to have a mobile crisis team (AOR: 0.43; CI: 0.21-0.86). Additionally, counties with the largest population were more likely to have a mobile crisis team (AOR: 2.20; CI:1.43-3.38) than counties with the smallest population. Having a mobile crisis teams was positively associated with legislation to fund 988. Legislation that encourages expansion of existing crisis care services, specifically funding aimed at mobile crisis teams, may help increase availability of services for people who are experiencing a mental health crisis in the community.

Keywords: 988; Mental health; Mobile crisis teams; Suicide prevention.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Conflicts of Interest: Ms. Burns has consulted for the Indiana Family & Social Services Administration, Division of Mental Health and Addiction on unrelated projects. Ms. Burns is also supported by an R36 award from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Dr. Yeager has consulted for the Public Health National Center for Innovation and deBeaumont Foundation on unrelated projects. Dr. Mazurenko discloses past and current research grant funding for studies of information technology to support pain care to her institution from Security Risk Solutions, Inc., the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and the National Institute of Health. Research Involving Human Participants: The IRB at Indiana University determined that this study was not human subjects research. Informed consent: Not applicable to this study.

Figures

Figure 1:
Figure 1:
Mobile crisis teams in the US by countya aDark grey represents at least one mobile crisis team in the county. Light grey represents counties without any mobile crisis teams.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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