Mobile Crisis Services of Lane County FAQs

FAQs

What is MCS-LC?

  • MCS-LC helps people in immediate behavioral health crises. Qualified professionals provide services in a community-based setting. The goal is to de-escalate and stabilize individuals quickly. The response is timely, therapeutic, and focused on both the person and their family. MCS-LC operates from a specially equipped vehicle, ready to be dispatched wherever needed.

Who will be on the MCS-LC’s team?
  • The MCS-LC will be staffed with qualified mental health practitioners and certified peer support specialists.

When should someone call MCS-LC?
  • If you or anyone you know is experiencing an urgent or emergent inability to cope, including suicidal thoughts, anxiety, depression, or other behavioral health crises, please contact MCS-LC by calling or texting 988, or dial the Lane County Crisis Line at (541) 682-1001.

How can I reach out to MCS-LC?
  • (Available 24/7) Call Lane County Crisis Line at (541) 682-1001
  • (Available 24/7) Call or text 988
  • 911 Operators also will route calls to MCS-LC 
    - To access our services through 911, ask for us by name: "Mobile Crisis Services of Lane County."
  • MCS-LC mobile services are currently available from 2pm – 11pm

Can someone call 988 for MCS-LC on behalf of someone else?
  • Yes! Anyone who sees someone having a behavioral health crisis can activate the mobile crisis unit by calling 541-682-1001 or 988.

What to expect when you call crisis service lines?
  • An operator will gather some important information, and then, depending on the need, send a mobile crisis van with a team of qualified mental health professionals to help. Most crisis calls can be managed via phone.

What communities/areas will MCS-LC serve?
  • Every resident of Lane County will have access to mobile crisis services.

  • The MCS-LC teams will serve all areas of Lane County), including the upper coast, towns east of the 126-tunnel leading to Florence, Eugene, \Springfield, South Lane, Junction City, and all areas east of the Eugene/Springfield metro areas. Regions of West Lane County, including the greater Florence community (including upriver communities like Mapleton and SwissHome-Deadwood) are covered by Western Lane Crisis Response (WLCR) who will respond to the scene of various emergencies in those areas.

  • All youth in Lane County are served by Riverview Center for Growth , formerly known as The Child Center. MCS-LC will work closely with contracted partners to operationalize care in specific communities and areas, as applicable
What is MCS-LC doing to ensure timely responses?
  • MCS-LC is running a 6-month pilot to assess the countywide need for services. Based on our estimates, the MCS-LC team, along with our partners, will ensure all responses meet required times. We will adjust the number of responders available based on the results of the pilot.

What are the options for a recipient of the services after an interaction?
  • MCS-LC, and all mobile crisis providers, will give clients resources to meet their needs and coordinate with their existing providers. They will also provide direct referrals for higher-level behavioral health care and do a follow-up check within 72 hours.

Will service recipients be transported from a rural area to Eugene for follow-up services?
  • MCS-LC will work with clients to help them coordinate free or paid transportation (support person, taxi, or rideshare). In some cases, MCS-LC can assist clients with transportation to a higher level of care at the time of crisis and will coordinate secure transportation as needed.

Who will be on the MCS-LC’s team?
  • The MCS-LC will be staffed with qualified mental health practitioners and certified peer support specialists.

Will MCS-LC transport people to secure residential facilities?
  • MCS-LC will both assist clients with securing transportation and provide voluntary, non-secure transport as appropriate.

Will MCS-LC utilize medication in their encounters?
  • MCS-LC will carry and administer Naloxone (also known as Narcan). No other medications will be used.

What does MCS-LC not do?
  • Involuntary or secure transportation. Primary point of intervention when weapon is present and/or criminal activity is suspected. Administration of medications – except for the use, and distribution of Narcan/naloxone, and for harm reduction. Full mental health assessment and diagnosis. Exclusive use of MCS-LC to transport to sobering service. Domestic violence response. Medical response or medical care. Where is the funding for MCS-LC coming from? MCS-LC is funded through the state, Coordinated Care Organizations (CCO’s), and local funding sources.

How will MCS-LC operate sustainably?
  • Mobile crisis services are required at the state level, and as such are funded on an ongoing basis.

How will MCS-LC work with law enforcement?
  • One goal of MCS-LC is to reduce the need for law enforcement when people are in behavioral health crises. However, we are working closely with law enforcement, who have been the main responders to these crises, to learn more about community needs. To keep everyone safe, MCS-LC and law enforcement will continue to partner closely to ensure the right level of intervention and the best outcomes.