When a teen is experiencing a mental health crisis, parents often know something needs to happen quickly, but not exactly what the next step should be. Most often, parents are aware that they can contact 911 or go to the emergency room during a crisis. But mobile crisis services in Minnesota provide another option.
Mobile crisis teams consist of trained mental health professionals who can respond to a crisis in homes and other community settings. These professionals assess what is happening and help de-escalate the immediate situation.[1] Mobile crisis services for teens in Minnesota are designed specifically for mental health emergencies, but they are not a substitute for emergency medical services when someone is in immediate danger. Understanding what these teams do can make a frightening experience a little easier. This article explores:
Minnesota’s Department of Human Services defines mobile crisis teams as trained mental health professionals who provide on-site crisis intervention, assessment, stabilization, and referrals outside of traditional clinical settings.[1] This means that when clinically appropriate, the team can meet a teen at home or another community location instead of the child having to go to an unfamiliar hospital environment.
Mobile crisis services offer mental health resources throughout Minnesota for adults and children. The response may include:
Mobile crisis services are not the right first call in every emergency situation. The table below shows examples of when to call the mobile crisis team, and when to call 911, during a teen mental health crisis.
When to call the mobile crisis team | When to call 911 |
If your teen is talking about suicide or self-harm | If there is a suicide attempt in progress |
If your teen is experiencing increasing emotional distress or intense panic attacks | If there is a serious overdose |
If your teen is experiencing psychotic symptoms | If there is a weapon being used or threatened |
If your teen is extremely agitated or dysregulated | If there is uncontrolled violence creating immediate danger |
If your teen is experiencing a sudden deterioration in their level of functioning | If there is severe bleeding or medical injury |
If they are behaving in a way that creates concern | If there is a life-threatening emergency |
Minnesota DHS advises that people call 911 for medical emergencies and call or text 988 when someone is experiencing a mental health emergency.[2] However, in times of a crisis, a parent may feel unsure about whether the situation is “bad enough.” If you are uncertain, you can call the mobile crisis team and tell them exactly what is happening so they can provide guidance about next steps.
Families searching for teen psychiatric crisis help can access mobile crisis in two ways:
In some areas, state law requires alternative provider plans so mobile crisis services are available outside normal business hours. This includes weekends and holidays.[3]
If you are calling on behalf of your teen, be prepared to tell the team:
Minnesota’s crisis assessment requirement covers several areas. Assessors evaluate:[3]
When possible, Minnesota law instructs crisis assessors to include input from the family and other natural supports.[3] This means that the team may talk with both the teen and family members.
A crisis assessment for a teen helps determine the safest, least restrictive next step.
If the assessment shows that mobile crisis intervention is needed, Minnesota law requires that those services be delivered promptly.[3] A major goal of mobile crisis teams is to help people cope with immediate stressors and de-escalate, so they can begin returning to their baseline level of functioning.[1]
This could include:
What happens next depends on how serious the crisis is and what kind of support would help most.
A primary goal of a youth mobile crisis team in Minnesota is to help determine what level of treatment is necessary.
Minnesota DHS reports that mobile crisis services can help avoid unnecessary mental health hospitalization. They also connect people with appropriate community-based supports.[4] This means calling the mobile crisis team doesn’t automatically lead to your child being hospitalized.
After the mobile crisis team conducts an assessment, a teen may be able to stay home with a safety plan. Other options include outpatient follow-up, crisis stabilization, or other community services.
Sometimes the team decides a more intensive setting, like hospitalization, is needed. When that happens, Minnesota law requires crisis providers to coordinate directly with the receiving facility.[3] This helps decrease the number of times that the family has to start the entire story over and promotes communication between providers.
There may also be times when a teen needs more support than a single mobile visit but not as much support as inpatient hospitalization.
A mental health professional can refer children and teens to residential crisis stabilization under Minnesota law. That professional must first assess their needs and determine they’re in crisis and need residential treatment for stabilization.[5]
For youth who meet these criteria, residential crisis stabilization can provide a short-term structured environment. This gives time for the crisis to de-escalate while the team determines what support is needed next. This is different from hospitalization or long-term residential psychiatric treatment because the goal is immediate stabilization and transition planning instead of months of ongoing residential care.
The Minnesota crisis response team will likely aim to engage the teen whenever possible. However, there may be times when a teenager does not want to talk to the crisis team, but that refusal does not prevent a crisis provider from conducting an assessment.
Minnesota law states that a mobile crisis provider doesn’t always need direct contact with the person in crisis. They can gather relevant information from a third party, like a parent, to determine if crisis services are needed.[3]
Mission Prep is here to help you or your loved one take the next steps towards an improved mental well-being.
During a crisis, it may feel like there is nothing a parent can do to support their teen. Things may feel unpredictable and overwhelming. However, knowing what to do while waiting for help and keeping important treatment information accessible can decrease confusion.
If the crisis team is on their way, you can focus on keeping the environment as calm and safe as possible.
Depending on the situation, that might mean:
If the risk suddenly becomes more severe while waiting for the team to arrive, then call 911. A mobile crisis response should never delay immediate necessary emergency medical intervention.
If your teen has recurring mental health symptoms, preparing ahead of time can help reduce uncertainty and overwhelm in a crisis.
Keep a simple crisis information sheet that contains:
You can also talk to your child or their treatment team about behavioral changes that indicate a need for more support, what helps when your teen feels overwhelmed, what is unhelpful when they’re escalated, and who they might want you to call.
Once things have settled down and before an adolescent crisis team leaves, the family should understand:
Minnesota’s mobile crisis model doesn’t stop once the crisis is over. It includes coordination with follow-up treatment and community support.[1][3]
If your teen already has a treatment team, contact them as soon as appropriate. If this was your teen’s first major crisis, the mobile crisis team may help your teen establish ongoing treatment.
Take a tour of our teen residential mental health facilities located in Minnetonka, MN. Our locations offer peace & comfort within a residential environment where teenagers, aged 12-17, can relax and focus on themselves.
Our well-appointed facilities are located in on the west side of the Metro area and serve teens from across Minnesota.
Mobile crisis services for teens in Minnesota give families another option. You don’t have to choose between managing serious mental health symptoms alone or going straight to the emergency room. Teams can provide support in the home or other community settings to help de-escalate the situation and develop a stabilization plan.
Additional support is also available. At Mission Prep Teen Treatment, we offer various mental health treatment programs, including both residential and virtual intensive outpatient. Our expert clinicians personalize treatment plans and incorporate evidence-based therapeutic approaches and innovative interventions to foster sustainable change for adolescents and their families.
Our Minnesota locations are an important part of the treatment process. We maintain modern and welcoming homes to provide stability to adolescents throughout treatment. Teens are able to develop and practice the tools and strategies they need to facilitate healing.
Mission Prep Teen Treatment accepts insurance and is in-network with most major providers. We are happy to help you check your insurance coverage for mental health care.
Start the admissions process online or call 866-901-4047 to speak with a caring member of our team who can answer any questions you might have. Reach out for a free, no-obligation conversation.
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