Ohio Expands Mobile Response and Stabilization Services Statewide for Youth Mental Health

Statewide Expansion of MRSS

• 🚀 Mobile Response and Stabilization Services (MRSS) are now available in all 88 Ohio counties, aiming to provide immediate mental and behavioral health support to young people.
• 💡 This expansion signifies a commitment to building a comprehensive system of care for mental health, fulfilling a promise from the 1963 Community Mental Health Act.
• 🎯 The service is provided at no cost to families, removing financial barriers and encouraging hesitant individuals to seek help.

How MRSS Works

• ⚡ Trained professionals are deployed to a child's location within 60 minutes or less of a crisis call, whether at home, school, or elsewhere.
• 🧠 The primary goal is to de-escalate the crisis and provide immediate support, reducing strain on other emergency services.
• 🤝 Families can receive up to six weeks of follow-up support in their homes if needed, ensuring continued care.

Accessing MRSS and Related Services

• 📞 Ohioans can call 988 (the suicide and crisis hotline) at any time to request MRSS or other appropriate interventions.
• 🏥 MRSS aims to avert unnecessary emergency department visits, inpatient admissions, and juvenile justice involvement.
• 📈 The Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services and the Ohio Department of Medicaid are collaborating to ensure seamless service delivery and funding.

Impact and Future Goals

• 📊 Early MRSS implementation has shown positive outcomes, including less juvenile justice involvement and fewer inpatient stays for children.
• 🏫 Schools are a key location for MRSS, with examples of successful interventions that have helped students thrive academically and socially.
• ⏳ Providers are committed to achieving 24/7 regional operations within three years and maintaining a 60-minute response time.

Ohio RISE and Youth Mental Health

• 🌟 The Ohio RISE program, launched in 2022, has significantly increased the number of youth receiving behavioral health services, reducing emergency department visits by 41% and psychiatric hospital stays by 28%.
• 🤝 MRSS is an essential component of Ohio's system of care, filling a critical gap for urgent behavioral health needs for youth and families.
• 🗣️ The expansion is a direct response to feedback from educators, school administrators, and parents who have highlighted significant mental health challenges among children.