What is MCOT?
Mobile Crisis Outreach Team (MCOT) is available to help those in the community experiencing a crisis due to mental illness and/or substance use issues. They provide assistance in community settings such as homes and schools. They are professionals trained to evaluate a person for safety, de-escalate a crisis, and provide information and education. They also refer people to community behavioral health services for additional support.
Who does MCOT serve?
MCOT serves adults, adolescents, and children who are experiencing a behavioral health (mental health and/or substance use) crisis regardless of their funding source or ability to pay. MCOT offers short term crisis intervention and prevention services utilizing strength-based, solution-focused, culturally competent, trauma-informed, and recovery-oriented interventions. Anyone who is physically located in Skagit, Island, San Juan, and Whatcom counties is eligible for MCOT services. The program serves individuals experiencing a behavioral health crisis, or individuals in a pre-crisis situation that seems to be deteriorating and, without intervention, could result in a behavioral health crisis.
Approach to care
MCOT consists of a team of behavioral health providers, including mental health professionals, certified peer counselors, and substance use disorder professionals collaborating with the individual in crisis and their family members and/or support network to develop a plan to get through the current crisis, manage future crises, and move towards recovery.
Goal of MCOT
The goal of the MCOT is to support members of the community through a behavioral health crisis, in the least restrictive manner possible.