Behavioral health crises among youth are increasing, and schools are well positioned to decrease use of Emergency Rooms and increase access to community-based care. Mobile crisis intervention (MCI) teams have been shown to reduce rates of hospitalization and strengthen connections with community-based resources. Yet, there are few studies examining the lived experiences of families and professionals engaging in inter-agency collaboration, specifically regarding proactive efforts in crisis situations. Using framework analysis, researchers coded and contrasted various perspectives to identify practice interventions. Using snowball sampling recruitment methods, focus groups were conducted with school-based behavioral health providers ( n = 12), MCI clinicians ( n = 4), and caregivers ( n = 14) to elevate the voices of individuals most frequently involved in MCI. Participants, who mostly self-identified as White from one Northeastern state, engaged in recorded interviews that were coded and contrasted using framework analysis. This step-by-step analysis of qualitative data collects themes, compares findings from different participant groups, and organizes information in a matrix format. Though the interview sought to identify strengths and challenges, two overarching themes were identified: (a) systemic facilitators and barriers, and (b) interpersonal facilitators and barriers. Categories and subcategories were also identified, providing deeper insight into participants’ experiences. Results demonstrated a need to forge and improve connections between mental health MCI and school-based teams. Practice, research, and policy implications are addressed to better meet the needs of youth and families by providing high-quality, timely, integrated, and comprehensive emergency services.
Priest et al. (Tue,) studied this question.