Mental Health Crisis Response Teams
The Heartland Family Service Mental Health Crisis Response Teams (CRT) consist of licensed mental health therapists who provide face-to-face or telehealth risk assessments for at-risk individuals with mental health and/or substance use needs. CRT therapists are contacted by law enforcement, through the court system, or hospitals to assist with such people in crisis and are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. CRT interventions allow individuals to be cared for in a manner more suitable to their needs, while enabling law enforcement to respond more quickly to other calls.

Crisis situations might include disorderly/disruptive behavior; neglect of self-care; threats or violence toward others; suicide threat or attempt; or psychosocial stress arising from homelessness, poverty, family conflict, or other issues. The goal of the is to ensure that the individual in crisis is served in the least restrictive, most normative setting possible and to connect him or her with community-based services in order to avoid hospitalization, protective custody, and/or incarceration.

Iowa: Mental Health Crisis Response Team (MHCRT)

Nebraska: Assessment, Support, and Prevention (ASAP)

Areas Served
Iowa: Cass, Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Monona, Montgomery, Page, Pottawattamie, & Shelby Counties
Nebraska: Cass & Sarpy Counties

Eligibility & Fees
Referral-based through law enforcement, hospitals, or the court system.
Fees: None

Funding: This project is supported by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021 funding for State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) and is being administered by the Behavioral Health Education Center of Nebraska (BHECN) at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) by way of an award totaling $541,680. The contents are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, BHECN, UNMC, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit: Behavioral Health Education Center of Nebraska