Lincoln County Mobile Response Team

Lincoln County's mobile crisis team is fundamentally transforming how the community

responds to mental health emergencies by bringing crisis intervention services directly

to people in their communities rather than limiting response to emergency departments

and jails.

The program represents a significant shift in crisis response philosophy in Oregon and

locally in recent years, moving from a reactive, institution-based model to a proactive,

community-centered approach that meets individuals where they are – mentally and

physically.

The mobile crisis team operates 24/7 to provide immediate mental health support to

anyone experiencing a crisis, regardless of whether they are enrolled in other county

programs.

The program is available to all community members and can be accessed

through multiple pathways, including a 24-hour crisis line called Protocol, walk-ins at

behavioral health offices, and referrals from law enforcement and health care providers.

When Shandi Hoey, a Mobile Crisis Supervisor and Licensed Professional Counselor,

joined Lincoln County in 2019 – and later stepped into her supervisor role in 2021 – she

quickly recognized the need to restructure the county’s crisis response model, drawing

on her previous mobile crisis experience in Arizona.

"When I began my position as crisis supervisor in 2021, I started working on making the

switch from crisis calls mainly happening in the emergency departments and jails to

mobile crisis, taking calls out in the community and meeting people where they're at,"

Hoey explained.

The timing of this transition aligned with a major statewide initiative. About a year and a half ago, Oregon implemented Mobile Crisis Intervention Services (MCIS), which is a statewide program designed to provide urgent, community-based behavioral health crisis support to people experiencing a mental health emergency.

“This was probably the greatest thing that could have happened because it really

brought forth the importance and need of an actual mobile crisis team," Hoey said.

Lincoln County's crisis team currently operates with four licensed crisis counselors

working 12-hour shifts (3 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 3 a.m.) to ensure round-the-clock

coverage, along with four case managers who work staggered shifts to support evening

and night operations, though not for the full 24 hours.

The team usually fields up to four to five calls per 12-hour shift, though this varies

significantly day to day. Rarely, Hoey said, will they have zero activations during a shift.

During the final three months of 2025, the team was dispatched 222 times.

“Every activation involves a behavioral health crisis,” Hoey explained. “We’re not

responding to everyday conflicts; we’re called when someone is experiencing significant

distress, such as suicidal ideation, severe mood instability, or symptoms related to

untreated mental health conditions. These situations are rarely simple, and each

requires careful and compassionate intervention.”

How the Mobile Crisis Team Works

The mobile crisis response process begins with triage and assessment. When someone

walks into a behavioral health office or contacts the crisis line – crisis line staff first

attempts to provide support over the phone – if that individual in crisis requests mobile

assistance, the team immediately gathers information and springs into action.

Hoey described the assessment process: "As soon as the individual in crisis lets staff

know they would like to speak to a crisis counselor face to face, a staff member calls an

interagency line. We answer, we triage the call – what's the person's name, date of

birth, what's going on with the individual, is the environment safe – and then we head to

their location."

The outcome of a crisis assessment depends on theindividual's situation and needs.

For those struggling but not in immediate danger, the focus shifts to connecting them

with services and providing continued support.

Hoey explained that if someone isn’t enrolled in services and is experiencing

depression, but they don’t have suicidal thoughts, a plan, or intent, the next step is

simply to ask whether they’re interested in services. If they are, staff focus on helping

them get connected.

The mobile crisis approach offers significant advantages over traditional emergency

department-based crisis response, benefiting both individuals in crisis and the broader

community.

Perhaps the most immediate benefit is the improved experience for individuals in crisis.

Traditional emergency department responses can feel institutional and frightening.

"Before, if you're struggling with any mental health symptoms or suicidal thoughts,

you've got to walk into the ED, tell somebody, and they bring you back, ask you

questions, dress you in scrubs, ask you for your personal belongings, and then put you

in a room that’s designed for safety and for most feels isolated.

We're told many times by people, 'This didn't feel good,’ or ‘I don't like coming here,'" Hoey said. In contrast, mobile crisis allows for assessments in comfortable, familiar environments, such as their home or a friend or family member’s home.

Avoiding admission to the emergency room also reduces costs to the individual and

reduces health care costs for the community at large. Mobile crisis teams also reduce the burden on law enforcement and at times can help prevent unnecessary arrests for mental health crises.

“Previously, when law enforcement responded to a behavioral health crisis, options

were limited. If the situation escalated and officers were unable to stabilize the

individual, the person could end up in jail—even when the underlying issue was related

to their mental health,” Hoey explained.

The mobile crisis model has transformed that dynamic. Now, officers can call in crisis

team staff who provide assessment, de-escalation, and support. This partnership helps

ensure individuals receive appropriate care rather than entering the criminal justice

system, leading to safer and more compassionate outcomes for everyone involved.

Those experiencing a mental health crisis in Lincoln County can call the crisis line 24

hours a day at 866-266-0288. At any time, the individual in crisis can request a face-to-

face crisis assessment from a mobile crisis team member.