In collaboration with local law enforcement, Marion County Mobile Crisis Response Teams respond in a caring and compassionate way to those in crisis or in need of mental health services.

Marion County is a growing, vibrant community, home to approximately 346,000 residents, a 10% increase in population since 2010. As the second most populous county outside the Portland metro area, Marion County spans 1,200 square miles, encompassing a mix of rural and suburban landscapes. Marion County experiences a higher rate (337.5/100K in 2022) of violent crime than the state of Oregon (304.5/100K in 2022) and opioid overdose visits to the emergency department and urgent care (138.4/100K in 2023 vs 57.8/100K in 2019).

The proposed Mobile Crisis Response Team (MCRT) is a collaboration between Marion County Health & Human Services Department (MCHHS) and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) that co-locates a MCSO law enforcement officer and a qualified mental health professional in a vehicle together to respond to and follow-up on behavioral health crisis calls in Marion County, Oregon.

MCHHS and the MCSO have a long history of collaboration and implemented MCRT since 2014. Sadly, on April 1st, 2024, MCHHS, MCSO, the City of Salem Police Department, and the Woodburn Police Department, discontinued the MCRT model. This program aims to re-establish a successful law enforcement/behavioral health model to serve Marion County to improve the outcomes for individuals experiencing mental health and substance abuse challenges, reduce recidivism, and connect to valuable stabilization resources, with the use of the Connect and Protect funds under priority 1A. There are no planned conference activities for the recommended award.