ABSTRACT
This service is staffed at all times by individuals trained in crisis response . The role of the crisis hotline is to provide psychiatric triage, by phone, to ascertain ifin fact there is an actual crisis and ifso to assess what interventions are necessary in order to de-escalate and stabilize the situation. It was estimated that this service would triage approximately 3,000 calls over the course of a year. The disposition of calls to the hotline would usually include one of the following:
a) De-escalation of the situation over the phone with appropriate referrals to local mental health providers;
b) Deployment of the mobile crisis team directly to the crisis location; or
c) Referral to appropriate emergency services with follow-up by the mobile crisis team.
