About the Program:
"A mobile response team dedicated to de-escalating and stabilizing people in crisis, while connecting them to essential resources for continued support."
The Crisis Assistance Team (CAT) is Flathead County’s behavioral health mobile crisis response team. The program is operated by the Flathead City-County Health Department, Behavioral Health Division. CAT started in August 2020 with the goal of decreasing the frequency and intensity of 911 behavioral health calls by working to link people in crises to mental health services. Since its inception, the team has responded to over 1,500 calls for service working to support emergency departments and justice system diversion. The team uses a client-centric, systems approach to provide on-site therapeutic services to community members experiencing a behavioral health crisis. The program is funded through Medicaid reimbursement, a MT DPHHS grant, and through partnership between Flathead County and the City of Kalispell using Montana Opioid Abatement Trust funds.
Services provided 10:00am - 10:00pm, 7 days per week throughout Flathead County.
Crisis therapists and care coordinators respond together to individuals in the community that struggle with mental health, substance use, or the ability to meet basic needs. Individual care continues after a mobile crisis response– individuals are offered care coordination services for 14 days after a response.
Request a Mobile Crisis Response:
Call 911 and request the crisis team if you are concerned about the immediate safety of a family member, friend, or member of the community. 911 will ensure that emergency personnel are aware of the situation and dispatch the crisis team as appropriate.
Call 988 and request the crisis team for referrals that do not warrant an immediate, emergent response. 988 can provide initial de-escalation and resource referrals and refer the crisis team as appropriate.
The Team:
The CAT consists of two Co-Responder Crisis Therapists and two Crisis Care Coordinators operating in two independent teams.
The Co-Responder assesses and counsel individuals in crisis within the community. The Co-Responder is mobile for most of their shift in a company vehicle. The Co-Responder is responsible for performing field mental health evaluations of individuals in crisis and provides recommendations to law enforcement officers on scene with them. Co-Responders are dispatched onto calls to provide community-based crisis assessments at various locations such as in homes, schools, parking lots, grocery stores, etc. Co-Responders effectively collaborate with law enforcement partners to de-escalate and resolve crisis situations and work with mental health professionals, medical providers, and other social service community agencies to provide resources for treatment. This position frequently interacts with individuals identified as high utilizers of crisis units, emergency rooms, and police services related to behavioral health issues.
The Care Coordinator serves as the contact point, advocate and informational resource for Co-Responders, law enforcement, and community members in crisis. The care coordinator works with community members to assess unmet health and social needs of individuals in crisis and works with resources to develop a care plan/treatment plan which includes referrals to social service programs, treatment facilities, and other needs identified. This work is done on scene with the Co-Responders or at various places such as the hospital coordinating with hospital social workers and discharge nurses, at the detention center, or independently in a public place.
Thank you to the following agencies for continued support of the program:
