Apply Now to Join the Crisis System Enhancements Community of Practice

This Community of Practice is best suited for community leaders who have at least established planning teams for a cross-system partnership among behavioral health agencies, law enforcement agencies (and other first responders), dispatch centers, and community-based organizations. This planning team should also have a designated coordinator. It is strongly recommended that participants have access to relevant behavioral health crisis call data.

We require each planning team to be prepared to participate as an interdisciplinary team comprising the following representatives: (1) project lead in charge of coordinating crisis system enhancements; (2) staff from a community-based behavioral health treatment provider; (3) law enforcement representative; and (4) staff with access to data on crisis calls (if available). Six team members at most may actively participate in each session; however, additional team members may join to listen in. The suggested attendees will vary for each session, with the exception of team leaders/project coordinators, who are advised to attend all sessions. Participating teams will coordinate with the CSG Justice Center to determine the appropriate combination of attendees for each session.

Session 1 will introduce the Community of Practice goals, expectations, and participating teams. This session will discuss the importance of building a diverse stakeholder group including representation from impacted communities (i.e., people with lived experiences in the criminal justice and behavioral health systems and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) to build trust and incorporate the community voice within the decision-making process. Teams will learn about the benefits of conducting system mapping to inventory their existing crisis system to identify assets and needs.

Session 2 will review key metrics in collecting data on behavioral health crisis calls and measuring outcomes related to connections to care. Participants will learn about the various ways these data can be acquired and how to establish the necessary information-sharing protocols among relevant partners. Participants will have the opportunity to discuss their local Public Safety Access Point (PSAP) management, emergency call coding, and data collection methods via virtual breakout rooms. The new 988 crisis response system will be incorporated into this discussion.

Session 3 will include a discussion on how to use data to complete a prioritization process that identifies which crisis system enhancement would have the most significant impact on coordinated crisis responses, decrease siloes, and address service gaps. This session will also focus on ways to build a continuum of responses through prioritization of straightforward policy changes that enhance existing service delivery and coordination. It will also feature discussion on how to collaborate on long-term plans for developing larger investment crisis services.

Session 4 will conclude the Community of Practice with considerations for how teams can utilize performance measures and evaluation plans to support near and long-term sustenance of their crisis system and crisis response interventions. Teams will learn how tracking progress and regular program assessments can support future funding opportunities for expansion of existing interventions or the implementation of additional response models.