Mental Health: Community Crisis Intervention

"I really think of it as a new way of responding to people in crisis. Historically, that's been done through emergency rooms," Pottorff says.

The new system includes walk-in centers, a statewide hotline and mobile units that can be dispatched in the event of crisis. All of this was set up through legislation sponsored by State Sen. Irene Aguilar. She says the Aurora Theater and Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings highlighted a need for mental health support.

"One of the issues that both of these events brought up was that we frequently have people in our community who are struggling with mental health issues and can't get the care that they need," Aguilar says.

She says future success depends on creating a continuum of care — from crisis response to stabilization to safe return into the community.Article