We’ll all experience mental hardship in our lives — and thanks to Macomb County‘s Children’s Mobile Crisis Unit Program, local kids who experience a mental health crisis can get the expert help they need with just a phone call.
“The Children’s Mobile Crisis Unit Program is a face-to-face crisis intervention service from a Master’s Level Clinician and a Parent Support Partner that allows for immediate assistance to help prevent a child going to the ER, hospital, and/or involving law enforcement,” says Crystal Bouissi, the Director of Community and Behavior Health services with Macomb County.
The program, which launched earlier this year, was developed in partnership with local school districts, local law enforcement, the Macomb Intermediate School District, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Juvenile Justice Court, in response to the high number of kids that were being admitted to the county’s emergency room or psychiatric care facilities.
With just a phone call, parents or legal guardians can request immediate service from a Master’s Level Clinician who will arrive on-scene and provide crisis intervention to the child and teach de-escalation techniques to the family member who called.
The team can also make recommendations for care and offer resources, too.
Using the program
The Children’s Mobile Crisis Unit Program is a free program available to all Macomb County residents, regardless of insurance, and is aimed at children of all ages through age 21.
To utilize the program, parents/legal guardians — and schools who have parental permission — can call the 24/7 Macomb County Crisis Line at 586-307-9100.
Some reasons to call, Bouissi says, is when:
- A child is experiencing a mental health crisis and assistance is needed to help manage the situation
- A child is experiencing suicidal and/or homicidal ideation
- A child is exhibiting risky behavior and/or emotional symptoms that are noticeable from usual behavior
You can get your child connected to general mental health services by calling 855-99-MCCMH 8 a.m.-7:45 p.m. daily or by walking in to the Clinton Township or St. Clair Shores locations from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Friday.
“In most instances, children that are assessed can be diverted to appropriate levels of care,” Bouissi adds. “Mobile Crisis also has reduced the need for inpatient psychiatric hospitalizations.”
For more information on the Children’s Mobile Crisis Unit, visit Macomb County’s Community Mental Health department here — and don’t forget to visit Make Macomb Your Home. Find more articles like this at Metro Parent’s A Family Guide to Macomb County.
