Emergency Mobile Psychiatric Services

Dial 2-1-1 or go to EMPS

Overview
This service provides emergency services including mobile response; psychiatric assessment; medication consultation, assessment, and short-term medication management; behavioral management services; substance abuse screening and referral to traditional and non-traditional services for any family with a child in crisis.

Emergency mobile psychiatric services (EMPS) deliver a range of crisis response and crisis stabilization services to children, youth, their families and caregivers including children residing in relative, adoptive and foster care homes. For children currently involved in clinical treatment, the EMPS first assesses the capability of that clinical service to handle the intervention. The EMPS provider is responsible for assuring that the client receives appropriate care during the crisis period.

Target Population
The target population is any child or youth in crisis including any HUSKY A or B or Voluntary Services Program enrollee and any other child or youth in their designated towns. The EMPS service will be available across child welfare, juvenile justice, prevention and behavioral health systems.

Statewide EMPS providers have a centralized, toll-free phone number (2-1-1) to serve as a point of entry and to provide person-to-person assistance and connection to crisis services. The centralized number is accessible 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, 365 days per year. In the event of a psychiatric emergency, a trained screener will, within 15 minutes, facilitate direct contact with a licensed EMPS staff member or other emergency service as necessary. When clinically appropriate, and following risk and decision making protocols, the EMPS will dispatch a mobile team to the point of the crisis. Contractors have the capacity to respond to all crises in the towns as listed in their catchment areas.