What Are Crisis Response and Co-Response Services?
- Crisis Response services provide immediate support during behavioral health emergencies.
- Co-Response programs pair behavioral health professionals with law enforcement or emergency responders.
- Mobile Crisis Response teams deliver crisis assessments and intervention in the community.
- Specialized crisis programs provide additional support based on community needs.
Available Services
Mobile Crisis Response
Mobile Crisis Response teams provide immediate, community-based behavioral health support. Services may include crisis assessment, de-escalation, safety planning, stabilization, and referrals to ongoing care.
Therapeutic Family Care-Crisis Support
TFC Mobile Crisis is designed to use natural supports and resources to manage and resolve an immediate mental health or substance use disorder crisis in the least restrictive environment by creating and implementing a crisis intervention plan with the individual and foster family (TFC foster family). This service is delivered in-person in the individual’s home or community setting. The desired outcome is resolution of the crisis, ensuring safety and making the necessary referrals and linkages.
Individual Desired Outcome:
- The crisis intervention plan for the individual and foster family is developed and implemented.
- The crisis is resolved, and the individual can safely remain in the foster family unit or is transferred to a safe and least-restrictive setting for ongoing care.
Co-Responder Program
Behavioral health professionals partner with law enforcement agencies to help respond to situations involving mental health concerns, substance use issues, and behavioral health crises.
Benefits
- Reduces unnecessary hospitalization
- Connects individuals to services
- Supports law enforcement and community safety
- Promotes appropriate behavioral health interventions
Peer Support Specialists
The Omaha Police Department (OPD) and LFS have teamed up to offer supportive peer support services to officers who encounter individuals in crisis.
Peer Support Specialists have a unique understanding of life’s challenges because of their own life experiences and recovery. They have received special training on how to work one-on-one with individuals who have similar life experiences.
Working in a peer-to-peer setting, our shared experiences may help a person as they work toward their own recovery.
Our peer support specialist is available to:
- Coordinate wellness checks between officers and consumers.
- Accompany officers on wellness checks involving consumers.
- Help officers identify possible behavioral health resources.
- Work with individuals who have consistent contact with all departments of the Omaha Police Department.
- Assist in training Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) officers.
Service Areas by Region
Eastern Region
Counties Served
The Central Region services the following counties: Cedar, Dixon, Dakota, Wayne, Thurston, Madison, Stanton, Cuming, Burt, Platte, Colfax, Dodge, Washington, Douglas, Sarpy, Cass
Services Available
- Mobile Crisis Response
- Therapeutic Foster Care Crisis Response (if applicable)
- Other regional services
Central Region
Counties Served (blue is region 3/red is region 5)
The Central Region services the following counties: Boyd, Holt, Knox, Antelope, Pierce, Garfield, Wheeler, Boone, Valley, Greeley, Nance, Sherman, Howard, Merrick, Polk, Butler, Saunders, Buffalo, Hall, Hamilton, York, Seward, Lancaster, Otoe, Kearney, Adams, Clay, Fillmore, Saline, Franklin, Webster, Nuckolls, Thayer, Jefferson, Johnson, Gage, Pawnee, Nemaha, Richardson
Services Available
- Crisis Response Line & Mobile Crisis Response – Region 3 & 5 counties
- Crisis Intervention Center (CIC) (future @ H360)
- Therapeutic Foster Care Crisis Response (future/when active – Region 5 counties)
- Emergency Community Support – Region 3 counties
- Other regional services
Western Region
Counties Served
The Western Region services the following counties: Sioux, Scotts Bluff, Banner, Kimball, Dawes, Box Butte, Morrill, Cheyenne, Sheridan, Garden, Deuel, Cherry, Grant, Hooker, Thomas, Keya Paha, Brown, Rock, Blaine, Loup, Arthur, McPherson, Logan, Custer, Keith, Perkins, Chase, Dundy, Lincoln, Hayes, Frontier, Red Willow, Hitchcock, Red Willow, Dawson, Gosper, Furnas, Phelps, Harlan
Services Available
- Mobile Crisis Response (if applicable)
- Other regional services
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I call the Crisis Response number?
- Thoughts of suicide or self-harm
- Thoughts of hurting someone else
- Feeling overwhelmed, hopeless, or unable to cope
- Severe anxiety, panic attacks, or emotional distress
- Hallucinations, delusions, or a significant change in thinking or behavior
- A mental health condition that is rapidly worsening
- Concerns about a loved one who may be in crisis
- Substance use issues that are creating an immediate behavioral health crisis
What is the difference between Mobile Crisis Response and a Co-Responder?
Both services support people experiencing behavioral health crises, but they are used in different ways. Mobile Crisis Response is typically led by behavioral health professionals who respond in the community, while an embedded co-responder works alongside law enforcement when a call involves both behavioral health needs and public safety considerations.
| Topic | Mobile Crisis Response Team | Embedded Co-Responder with Law Enforcement |
|---|---|---|
| Primary lead | Behavioral health professionals lead the response. | Behavioral health staff work directly with law enforcement officers. |
| Best fit | When the primary concern is a mental health, substance use, or behavioral health crisis and the situation can be addressed safely in the community. | When a call involves behavioral health needs along with safety concerns, repeated law enforcement contact, welfare checks, or a need for coordinated officer support. |
| Response style | Focuses on assessment, de-escalation, safety planning, stabilization, and connection to ongoing services. | Combines crisis support with law enforcement presence to help assess risk, de-escalate, and connect the person to appropriate services. |
| Goal | Resolve the crisis in the least restrictive setting whenever possible and reduce unnecessary emergency room visits, hospitalization, or justice-system involvement. | Improve outcomes during law enforcement-involved calls by adding behavioral health expertise, reducing unnecessary escalation, and linking people to care. |
| Follow-up | Includes follow-up within 24 hours , continuing until 3 attempts to occur in 72 hours, referrals, and linkage to community-based treatment or supports. | May include coordination with officers, community providers, family supports, and repeat-contact individuals. |
Mobile Crisis Response is a behavioral health-led response to a crisis, while a Co-Responder team combines behavioral health expertise with law enforcement when safety or public safety concerns are present.
Do all regions offer the same services?
No. Services vary by region based on local partnerships, funding, and community needs.
Can someone come to me during a crisis?
When available, Mobile Crisis teams may provide in-person community response. Or, if the person would like they can engage the crisis team via secure tele-health lines to virtual calls, and telephonic engagment.