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Welcome to the Alternative Crisis Response (ACR) Monthly Update!
A Message from Reuben Wilson, Head of ACR:
As ACR enters its third year, we are reflecting on the challenges and successes of 2024 – the latter of which, could not have been possible without our partners. The Law Enforcement Best Practices Guide was published, 911-to-988 diversion pilots launched, more teams were hired to provide 24/7 services to clients, over 100k Who to Call materials were distributed in multiple languages (with 400k more on the way!), and ACR’s first public awareness marketing campaign was established, which is set to launch this spring. We are grateful for your collaboration, support and look forward to further advancing the mission of ACR with you in service to LA County residents.
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Law Enforcement Best Practices: In partnership with LA County law enforcement agencies, we released the LA County Best Practices for Coordination of Law Enforcement and Mental Health in Alternative Crisis Response.
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911-to-988 Diversion: The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Lancaster Station and the Pomona Police Department have joined LAPD in being able to directly transfer certain 911 callers to the 988 Call Center. Callers can speak wi for their concerns to be addressed by mental health professionals, either over the phone or in person.
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Public Awareness: Began distributing 500k Who Do I Call Campaign educational materials in the community and developing a multichannel public awareness advertising campaign, due to launch in March 2025.
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Reduced Response Times: Thanks to the ongoing expansion of the County’s FIT teams and technology improvements, our FIT response times have decreased by 70% over the last two years. This comes even as our FIT teams are responding to 600 more calls each month than last year. Our goal remains to continue lowering response times so that we can ensure a timely response to residents in crisis anywhere in the county, 24/7.
An essential part of having a true alternative crisis response system in LA County is ensuring people know what resources are available when they need help. Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (LACDMH) partnered with the County of Los Angeles Fire Department, Sheriff’s Department, City of Los Angeles Police Department, 211 LA, and Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services to launch the Who Do I Call for Help? awareness campaign. This resource helps residents know what options are available when they need help.
Need “Who Do I Call for Help” campaign business cards, posters, bookmarks for outreach?
Email: AGuzman@dmh.lacounty.gov to place your order.
Available in English, Spanish, Armenian, Farsi, Korean, and Chinese.
** STATUS UPDATE**
Campaign Materials are in and have been mailed out to those who have ordered!
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Our mobile crisis outreach partner Sycamores will be hosting a job fair for positions with their Mobile Crisis Outreach Programs throughout Los Angeles County on January 29, 2025
What: Los Angeles County Hiring Fair
When: Wednesday, January 29, 2025, 9 AM to 2 PM
Where: Sycamores Pacoima Community Based Services (PAC 2)
12510 Van Nuys Blvd., Suite 201
How To Attend: Apply for the position you are interested in via Sycamore job board and email recruiting@sycamores.org to RSVP. Please include the position, location, and preferred interview time (AM or PM) you are interested in exploring. Visit https://www.sycamores.org/hiring for more information.
If you or your loved ones are experiencing mental health distress related to the wildfires in California, do not hesitate to ask for help. 24/7 support and resources are available through our Help Line at (800) 854-7771 and through the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
See below resources for additional ways you can support yourself and others during this time:
Los Angeles 988 Call Center
5,803 calls to Didi Hirsch 988 Crisis hotline within LA County
96% calls safely resolved over the phone
20 seconds to answer the call, on average
12 minutes of emotional support, risk assessment, and safety-planning on the phone, on average
104 crisis calls transferred to DMH ACCESS for potential FIT dispatch
4,794 crisis calls to LACDMH ACCESS Helpline
1,748 resulted in FIT dispatch
44% of dispatched calls resulted in hospitalization
7% of dispatched calls required law enforcement support
71 Field Intervention Teams (PMRT, MCOT, and TT) were regularly available
3,134 clients served at Psychiatric Urgent Care Centers/Crisis Stabilization Units
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ACR: ACR Programs are now hiring. Fill out an application:
Check out openings from our partners:
988: Didi Hirsch manages the 988 crisis hotline for LA County and is hiring for the following positions:
Sycamores: DMH is working with Sycamores to expand MCOT (Mobile Crisis Response Teams). Find out more.
Vista Del Mar: Vista Del Mar is hiring for positions across their organization. Find out more.
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LACDMH is committed to ensuring individuals experiencing a mental health crisis are treated quickly, effectively, and with empathy at the least restrictive level in the mental health system. To ensure a robust, reliable, and timely mental health alternative to law enforcement response, individuals experiencing a mental health crisis need the following:
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June 2020: The Alternative Crisis Response (ACR) initiative was created by Board of Supervisors (BOS) as a partnership between LA County’s Department of Mental Health (LACDMH) and the Alternatives to Incarceration (ATI) Initiative of LA County's Chief Executive Office.
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October 2020: On October 17, 2020, the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2020 was signed into federal law which established 988 as the national number for behavioral health crisis calls.
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June 2022: LACDMH established a new ACR Unit dedicated to ensuring crisis response services and systems are coordinated and comprehensive throughout Los Angeles County. Since June 2022, LACDMH has been working closely with Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services to rollout 988 services in LA County as well as expand FIT* (field intervention teams) availability across LA County.
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July 2022: 988 officially launched nationwide on July 16, 2022, prompting key program expansions in LA County.
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November 2022: LACDMH officially assumed responsibility for ACR implementation.
Glossary: Terms to Know
ACR: Alternative Crisis Response (ACR) mission is to provide a robust, reliable, and timely 24/7 mental health alternative to law enforcement response for individuals experiencing a mental health crisis. The ACR Unit is responsible for overseeing the network of ACR services and providers in LA County, including the 988 crisis call center, Field Intervention Teams (FIT), and crisis receiving facilities. The ACR team are DMH employees who were recruited to join in addition to their existing roles.
988: Hotline that provides free, 24/7 call, text, and chat support and resources to people experiencing or affected by a suicidal, mental health, and/or substance use crisis. Also known as the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
Crisis Stabilization Unit: Also referred to as Urgent Care Center. 24/7 intensive, short-term stabilization in a warm and less sterile/clinical environment. Includes assessment, therapy, medication services and referrals. Services provided are less than 24-hours.
FIT: Field Intervention Teams, or FIT, are made up of a team of mental health professionals (typically a clinician and peer support staff) and provide crisis intervention services in the location where the individual is most comfortable (e.g., home or other field location). The goal of FIT is to stabilize the individual and allow them to remain in the community. DMH has both directly operated FIT known as PMRT and contracted FIT known as MCOT. FIT are typically initiated by contacting the DMH Help Line ACCESS Center.
PMRT: Psychiatric Mobile Response Teams are a type of FIT that are directly operated by DMH.
MCOT: Mobile Crisis Outreach Teams are a type of contracted FIT.
Didi Hirsch: Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services is the service provider that handles the 988 crisis hotline for LA County.
ATI: Alternatives to Incarceration (ATI), as part of the ATI Office (now part of the Justice Care and Opportunities Department, see below), is focused on addressing the impact of racial justice in the criminal justice system while keeping community partnership at the forefront of this work. It continues to expand the scope of its work to explicitly address current system gaps within Los Angeles County.
JCOD: The Justice Care and Opportunities Department (JCOD) is the County’s new central agency unifying LA County’s efforts to serve vulnerable justice-impacted people and communities and drive forward the Board of Supervisors’ vision of Care First, Jails Last.
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