Posted
Although Washington County has a policy of not commenting on legal matters where the County is named in litigation, we’re committed to providing professional mental health services to community members experiencing a mental health crisis. For over two decades, we have worked diligently with our partners and stakeholders to develop a system of care to address these complex needs.
The Washington County Behavioral Health Crisis Line has been operating for over 20 years. Additionally, for the past 19 years, Washington County Behavioral Health has provided a Mobile Crisis Team that can respond to behavioral health calls 24 hours a day.
Fourteen years ago, Washington County created the Mental Health Response Team (MHRT) program, which pairs specially trained deputies with mental health clinicians who respond to behavioral health calls together. The MHRT program has been so successful—not only in crisis intervention but also in safety planning and diverting people from the criminal justice system—that several city police departments in Washington County now participate as well.