Crawford County Mental Health Center’s Mobile Crisis Program is comprised of licensed clinicians and other trained staff who provide immediate support for individuals experiencing a behavioral or mental health crisis. These brief and intensive services are designed to help stabilize situations and reduce the need for psychiatric hospitalization.

The crisis team responds to adults and youth in crisis through phone support, telehealth, and onsite assistance—meeting individuals where they are, whether at home, in the community, or alongside local partners. The goal is to reduce unnecessary emergency room visits and ensure individuals receive timely, appropriate care and follow-up.

Staff are also available to consult with and support local emergency departments, law enforcement, and other community agencies addressing the mental health needs of Crawford County residents.

The Crisis Department can help clients with admission to local and state psychiatric hospitals should they need that level of care.

Crisis staff will follow up with clients and assist in discharge planning and care coordination after leaving a psychiatric facility.

The Youth Crisis Stabilization Unit (YCSU) is a safe, short-term care program designed for children and teens, ages 10 to 17, who are experiencing a mental health or behavioral crisis. Located at our Children’s Services building in Pittsburg, the unit provides a calm, supportive setting where youth can take time to regulate, reflect, and receive therapeutic support.

With room for up to four youth at a time, this trauma-informed space helps bridge the gap between crisis and long-term stability, giving children and families the time and support they need to plan the next step forward.

This service is intended for youth who may be:

• Struggling with emotional or behavioral challenges

• At risk of hospitalization or removal from their current home

• In a state of distress that requires short-term, supportive intervention

• Needing a safe space to stabilize outside of home, school, or placement

Before admission, youth must be screened to ensure they are medically and behaviorally stable.

What to Expect During a Stay

Every youth receives personalized, compassionate care from our trained team. While at the YCSU, youth will:

• Be supervised 24/7 in a safe, structured environment

• Work one-on-one with a Qualified Mental Health Professional (QMHP)

• Practice calming and coping strategies

• Participate in supportive activities to promote emotional regulation

• Benefit from care coordination with families, schools, and other providers

We also offer support for caregivers during this time, helping them feel more confident and prepared for the return home.

If your child—or a child you’re working with—is experiencing a crisis, help is available any time, day or night.

• Call our 24/7 Save Line at 620-232-SAVE (7283)

• Or call/text 988, the national mental health crisis line (calls will route locally when needed)

Our crisis team will assess the situation and help determine if the YCSU is the right fit for the youth’s needs.

Length of Stay

Stays at the YCSU last up to 72 hours, though some may be shorter depending on the situation. During this time, our team works with the youth and their support system to create a plan for what comes next — whether that’s returning home, accessing additional services, or exploring other care options.

What Happens After Discharge?

Before leaving the unit, every youth receives a clear and personalized aftercare plan. Based on their needs, this may include:

• Individual or family therapy

• Case management

• Medication evaluation by our psychiatric team

• Parent peer support

• Referrals to additional community resources or supports

Our goal is to ensure each child and family has a strong, supported transition out of crisis and toward lasting stability.

The Crisis Stabilization Unit (CSU) is a 24/7, six-bed unit, providing a safe, structured environment for out-of-home (non-medical) stabilization for individuals experiencing a mental health crisis.

The CSU serves as a community-based alternative to psychiatric hospitalization for Crawford County residents age 18 and older, with the goal of reducing unnecessary hospitalizations and arrests in our community. Clients have access to clinicians and staff who specialize in mental health crisis intervention. Length of stay is based on individual needs, with most stays ranging from 3 to 5 days. Upon discharge, clients are connected with community-based services to support continued care.

The CSU is located at 3103 N. Michigan Street in Pittsburg, Kansas.

Crisis staff are trained on the Critical Incident Stress Debriefing model and can provide evidence-based debriefing in response to events that occur in the community which have the potential to produce a negative emotional impact on those involved.

The Crisis Department also provides liaison service to the local medical system and law enforcement to assist in diffusing crisis situations that may occur in the community.

Adjunct services that can provide follow-up to a formal assessment done by a clinician. This includes following up with individuals after a crisis to check on their welfare and assisting them in keeping follow-up appointments with their provider or helping them access other needed services and resources in the community.