More mobile crisis outreach teams, or MCOTs, are getting ready to roll in Montgomery County, Maryland.
The teams, generally consisting of a licensed clinician and a peer support specialist, operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Currently, there are three MCOTs operating across the county 鈥� and a grant to add two more teams has been secured.
Another two teams could be added in the future 鈥� they鈥檙e included in Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich鈥檚 FY2025 budget request. That would bring the total number of MCOTs to seven.
Manager of Montgomery County鈥檚 Crisis Center, Beth Tabachnick, said there鈥檚 a clear need for the additional teams.
鈥淲e do get over 40,000 phone calls a year at the Crisis Center,鈥� she told reporters during the Montgomery County executive鈥檚 weekly briefing Thursday.
In the past year, the three existing teams responded to 2,100 calls for assistance.
鈥淵ou know, post-COVID, we saw 鈥� as the community has seen 鈥� a spike in mental health concerns and behavioral health distress,鈥� Tabachnick said.
The expansion of the program comes as communities around the country work to get away from relying on police to respond to calls that are connected to mental health needs.
Tabachnick said there are times when police aren鈥檛 needed to handle a call, or 鈥渕aybe it is a little bit anxiety-provoking for an individual鈥� who may be experiencing a mental health crisis to have police arrive on a scene.
Tabachnick said the MCOTs respond to 30% to 35% of calls on their own, but that in other cases, her agency鈥檚 teams may request police, or police may arrive at a scene and request the MCOTs.
鈥淲e鈥檝e always had a very strong collaboration with law enforcement,鈥� she said.
With added MCOTs operating in the county in the future, Tabachnick said it鈥檚 likely the numbers will shift, with less reliance on police.
Most referrals, Tabachnick said, come from 鈥渟chools, our shelter system, our law enforcement first responder partners.鈥�
Asked if there have been more people in need of mental health services in recent years, Tabachnick said, 鈥淚 think that we鈥檝e always had this need in the community,鈥� but since COVID, when it comes to mental health, 鈥淚 think as we鈥檙e talking about it more and there鈥檚 more recognition, there鈥檚 a little bit less stigma attached to some of these services.鈥�
Just as a number of government agencies find they are short staffed, Tabachnick said there are vacancies in her department.
鈥淭here are seven vacancies for full-time therapist positions,鈥� Tabachnick said.
鈥淲e are continuously recruiting for qualified, competent professionals who are interested in this type of work.”
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