Department of Health Services

​​​​Learn more about the Sacramento County Mobile Crisis Support Team (MCST) here.

Goals

Objectives

• Provide safe, compassionate, and effective responses to individuals experiencing a mental health crisis.
• Increase public safety.
• Increase consumer participation in mental health services by problem-solving barriers and increasing knowledge of local resources.
• Decrease unnecessary hospitalizations and incarcerations for community members experiencing a mental health crisis.​
  

​What is MCST?

The MCST is a collaboration between Behavioral Health Services (BHS) and Sacramento County Law Enforcement. The MCST units respond to calls for service to support individuals experiencing a mental health crisis by providing safe, relevant, and effective intervention including linkage to needed resources and support services.

​Components of an MCST call/response
The MCST units triage calls for service in their area for any signs of mental health distress and respond to provide clinical support at the time of crisis.

1. ​An MCST-licensed mental health counselor and a law enforcement officer (CIT Unit) provide immediate co-response to emergency calls involving a mental health crisis.
   
2. MCST co-response engages the expertise of both law enforcement and behavioral health counselors to resolve the crisis by accessing stabilization resources, mobilizing natural supports or providers, and empowering the use of resiliencies and strengths.
   
3. Post-mitigation of the immediate crisis, the MCST follow-up team utilizes Peer Specialists with lived experience and community resource expertise to provide follow-up engagement and navigation to ongoing mental health services.​
   

When to call 911 for immediate response

• There is a criminal component to the event or incident.
• The risk is imminent (looming, immediate).
• The individual has stated a plausible threat to harm.
• Current risk of danger to self, others, or community.
• Inability to survive safely in the community (gravely disabled).​