Evaluation of an integrated mobile crisis intervention service

Mobile crisis intervention teams that include staff from Mental Health Services, Emergency Health Services and the Police are a possible response to gaps in service for individuals in crisis with serious mental illness, but evidence of their effectiveness is limited. Of the few that have been evaluated, robust research methods have not been used. In response to the identified need to respond to growing numbers of calls and contacts from people in mental health crises, and staff needs for more training and support, the Capital District Health Authority in Nova Scotia, along with the IWK Health Centre, Halifax Regional Police, and Emergency Health Services (EHS), will implement an integrated Mobile Crisis Intervention Service in 2006. We propose to evaluate the service using a controlled before and after design, to compare the intervention area with a similar control area without access to such a service. We will then disseminate the results through our extensive network of contacts with decision makers in CDHA, Nova Scotia and other Canadian jurisdictions. The accompanying letters of support indicate there is a high probability of the results being used to: 1) improve and link services for a vulnerable population, and; 2) inform strategies for effective interprofessional team work between nurses and other health care workers including EHS.