With the rollout of 988 call centers, growing use of mobile crisis teams, and national attention on crisis stabilization, a clearer, more compassionate roadmap is emerging to help individuals in crisis. This pathway to care is designed to reduce confrontations with police, avoid visits to the ER, and prevent incarceration for those at risk.

Medicaid is the largest payer for behavioral health services in the U.S., making it central to the financial sustainability and expansion of crisis care infrastructure. Recent federal policy shifts are encouraging—and in some cases requiring—Medicaid programs to cover components of the crisis care continuum. But with Medicaid funding under scrutiny, the future of crisis care is increasingly unstable.

To build a system of care that truly works, each component needs to be funded and connected—and that’s where technology, especially Electronic Health Records (EHRs), play a pivotal role.

A System in Motion: Crisis Call Centers, Mobile Response, and Stabilization

An effective behavioral health crisis system functions like a relay—where timely handoffs from one level of care to the next determine whether an individual finds stability or falls through the cracks. The federal vision, outlined originally by SAMHSA, is built around three core components: someone to call, someone to respond, and a safe place to go. Together, 988 call centers, Mobile Crisis Teams (MCTs), and Crisis Stabilization Units (CSUs) represent this triad, which is the backbone of responsive crisis care. But building a system where these pieces work in sync remains a national challenge.

In many communities, the system is disconnected or incomplete. Some may lack mobile teams altogether. Others have no available crisis stabilization beds. When that happens, the result is often the same: an emergency room visit, an unnecessary encounter with law enforcement, or a person being discharged without a care or safety plan.

To move crisis care from a reaction response to prevention and recovery mode, investing in the infrastructure that connects and strengthens each element of the triad is crucial.

The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

Launched nationwide in July 2022, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline was a major milestone in offering a more appropriate response than dialing 911 for mental health and substance use crises. The line connects callers with around-the-clock access to trained counselors who can assess needs, de-escalate situations, and link individuals to local mental health services.

According to SAMHSA, in its first year, 988 saw a 30% jump in call volume, signaling growing public trust in the system.

988 represents more than just a helpline. It’s the front door to a more coordinated, whole-person approach to the entire crisis care system. However, implementation of the triad of services remains uneven. Some communities have fully staffed local call centers with mobile teams and stabilization options standing by. Others still route 988 calls to national backup centers, or struggle with staffing and funding shortages. And yet, many people still default to calling 911 out of habit, leading to emergency responses that may not prioritize mental health needs.

Continued investments in training, public awareness, local coordination, and technology integration are essential to ensuring that 988 becomes a truly effective and reliable first step in the crisis response pathway.

Mobile Crisis Teams (MCTs): Bringing Help Where It’s Needed

Mobile Crisis Teams serve as the next link in the chain, with clinicians, social workers, and peer specialists bringing trauma-informed care directly to individuals in crisis. Unlike traditional emergency responders, Mobile Crisis Teams are trained to provide immediate mental health support, assess needs on-site, and connect individuals to services without requiring transportation to a hospital or jail.

The most effective Mobile Crisis Team models are Behavioral Health Practitioner-only (BHP-only) teams, where mental health professionals — (not law enforcement) lead the response. That distinction matters. These teams build trust, reduce the risk of escalation, and are more likely to produce positive clinical outcomes. However, in many areas, MCTs are still part of co-responder models that include police officers, or they’re unavailable outside of business hours.

Funding, staffing, and local policies all impact how quickly MCTs can respond and what services they can offer. Even well-resourced teams face limitations when there’s nowhere to refer a client who needs ongoing care. Without stabilization beds or crisis centers, MCTs may be forced to transport individuals to already overwhelmed emergency departments—or leave them in unsafe situations, knowing that a crisis is likely to recur.

For Mobile Crisis Teams to truly succeed, they need more than training. They need strong infrastructure, including prompt data sharing, coordination with call centers, and access to reliable local crisis stabilization services.

What Is a Crisis Stabilization Unit (CSU)?

A Crisis Stabilization Unit (CSU) is a short-term, intensive program designed to help individuals in acute mental health or substance use crisis within a safe, supportive, and therapeutic environment. Typically operating 23 hours to several days, Crisis Stabilization Units offer a place where individuals can receive assessments, clinical support, medication management, and connection to longer-term care—all without the need for psychiatric hospitalization.

In theory, Crisis Stabilization Units are the critical “safe place to go” in the crisis care model; someone to call, someone to respond, and somewhere safe to go. In practice, they are the least developed and least funded component of the system. In many communities, CSUs simply don’t exist. Where they do, capacity is often limited to a single unit covering multiple counties or offer only limited hours and capacity.

Part of the challenge is that there’s no national blueprint for how CSUs should operate. Models vary widely—some are medical settings; others are peer-run centers focused on comfort and connection. Funding streams are fragmented, regulatory standards differ by state, and reimbursement models often fail to cover the full scope of services provided. As a result, many CSUs operate at the margins, unable to scale or sustain services.

This inconsistency has serious consequences. Without adequate stabilization options, mobile teams and emergency rooms bear the burden. Individuals in need of support are often turned away, discharged prematurely, or forced into higher levels of care than necessary. To create a functional crisis stabilization system, CSUs must be treated as core infrastructure. That means aligning policies and funding and connecting CSUs with local crisis teams, call centers, and outpatient services.

Linking the System Together: The Role of CCBHCs

Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) are one of the few models built to deliver coordinated crisis care at scale. With federally supported requirements for 24/7 response, same-day access, and integrated care, they’re uniquely positioned to connect the pieces of the crisis system from mobile response to outpatient follow-up.

In communities where CSUs exist, CCBHCs can help staff, operate, or refer to them. In areas where CSUs are still missing, they help absorb demand and provide stabilization services where possible. But as more clinics transition from federal grants to Medicaid demonstration status, funding rules are shifting, and so is the future of what CCBHCs can cover.

We break that down in our full update on the status and risks facing CCBHCs in 2025 here.

What the Future Demands: Continuous, Connected, and Accountable Services

The behavioral health crisis system is shifting from a facility-first mindset to a network-first model, where care is continuous, coordinated, and flexible—regardless of where someone enters the system.

Whether the first call comes to 988, the first response arrives from a mobile crisis team, or the first service is provided in a community clinic, the expectation is the same: every person in crisis must be met with a responsive, connected pathway to stabilization and long-term support.

This new model reflects the priorities outlined in SAMHSA’s National Guidelines for Behavioral Health Crisis Care—and aligns with broader goals around health equity, cultural responsiveness, and person-centered delivery. But meeting these expectations requires a foundation of technology, interoperability, and accountability.

Providers Now Need Systems That Can:

• Accept referral-based and no-barrier admissions, including same-day and after-hours intakes
• Coordinate with cross-system partners—such as 988 call centers, mobile teams, and CSUs in real time
• Follow up on care transitions and ensure that individuals don’t fall through the cracks
• Track and report outcomes, such as discharge success, repeat crisis episodes, or readmissions
• Respond quickly to demand with around-the-clock, flexible workflows and accurate bed counts

Why Modern EHRs Are Essential

A modern Electronic Health Record (EHR) system is more than a documentation tool; it’s what powers crisis systems behind the scenes. To keep pace with rising expectations and Medicaid reimbursement opportunities, behavioral health providers need EHRs that can:

• Generate compliant reports for Medicaid and other funders—supporting grant and audit readiness
• Facilitate data sharing with crisis partners
• Support mobile access, enabling clinicians and crisis responders to document services in the field
• Enable interoperability with Health Information Exchanges (HIEs), public health agencies, and partner networks  

In short, an effective crisis stabilization system can’t function without EHRs that are designed for speed, coordination, and compliance.

“Technology, such as GPS-enabled mobile team services, real-time bed registry and coordination, centralized outpatient appointment scheduling, electronic health record (EHR) integration with partner services… all play an important role in expanding access to high-quality crisis care.”
— SAMHSA 2025 Crisis Guidelines

In short, an effective crisis stabilization system can’t function without EHRs that are designed for speed, coordination, and compliance.

No matter your role in the crisis system of care, an EHR is essential for compliance and accountability. It ensures the right people have the right information—at the right time—to deliver the right care.

As Medicaid funding eligibility requirements evolve, finding the right funding sources to support your clients can be complex. Now more than ever, the right EHR can help you do more with less—saving time and money by automating workflows, supporting billing compliance, simplifying audits, and easing the burden on your staff.

Learn more about how Radicle Health can help your organization!