Crisis Event Dispositions Following a Crisis Response Team Intervention

Objective: We examined dispositions of crisis response team (CRT) events over 2 years in a large Midwestern city. Method: Between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2019, the CRT self-dispatched to mental/behavioral health-related 9-1-1 calls. Data utilized for analysis included demographic information of persons in crisis, crisis type, and crisis event dispositions. Crisis types were mental health, self-harm, and substance use related. Event dispositions included immediate detention, arrest, transport, and issue resolved. Multinomial regression models were used to predict crisis event dispositions as a function of the three crisis types, controlling for covariates. The sample included 1,426 events to distinct individuals. Results: Most CRT events involved persons who were White (47.7%; n = 680), male (56.1%; n = 800), and an average of 39.3 years of age (SD = 16.6). Most crises were mental health (65.4%; n = 932), followed by self-harm (31.7%; n = 452), and substance use (25.9%; n = 370). Events were generally resolved at the scene (55.0%, n = 784); over a quarter resulted in immediate detention (26.9%, n = 384), followed by voluntary transport (14.0%, n = 200), and arrest (4.1%, n = 58). Crisis type was a significant predictor of event dispositions: Self-harm crises were associated with immediate detention and voluntary transport, and substance use crises with arrest. Homelessness was also a significant predictor of arrest. Conclusions and Implications for Practice: The findings provide a better understanding of the short-term impact of CRTs. Data highlight how crisis type indicators predict event dispositions, demonstrating potential for more efficient emergency responder utilization by dispatching units according to crisis type. Impact and Implications Findings from this study contribute to the knowledge base around crisis response teams (CRTs) and allow for a better understanding of the factors that predict crisis event dispositions. Further, the findings provide insights into how crisis responses may be modified or improved, and as CRTs become increasingly popular, this will be essential to ensure best outcomes in mental/behavioral health-related emergencies.