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MCT Co-Response FAQ

The City's Alternative Response Program, managed by the Emergency Communications Center, works to enhance public safety through community-centered approaches to intervention as alternatives to traditional police responses and the criminal justice system. One initiative of this program is our partnership with the UC Mobile Crisis Team (MCT), which serves as a co-responder with our police officers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Co-Responder refers generally to the model of response that includes at least one law enforcement officer and one mental health or substance abuse professional responding jointly to situations in which a behavioral health crisis is likely to be involved.

In the City of Cincinnati, the Mobile Crisis Team (MCT), operated by UC Health, is comprised of mental health professionals that respond along with CIT-trained Cincinnati Police Department officers to some behavioral health crises. Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training is a program for first responders focused on safe and effective interaction with persons who are in crisis. 
 

The Mobile Crisis Team (MCT) is a mobile clinical team trained to respond to mental health emergencies in the community. The team is operated by UC Health and is partnered with the City's Emergency Communications Center and Police Department to be dispatched as a Co-Responder with law enforcement.

The following types of incidents are automatically dispatched by Cincinnati ECC as a police co-response (if MCT is available):

  • High-risk mental health crisis (e.g., the person in crisis is actively violent or armed with a weapon)
  • Suicide (an attempt is imminent)
  • Suicidal ideation (if the person in crisis does not wish to speak to 988)

The following types of incidents are automatically dispatched to the Alternative Response for Crisis (ARC), if available. If ARC is not available, these incidents are dispatched as a police co-response (if MCT is available):

  • Low-risk mental health crisis (e.g., the person is crisis is non-violent, and not known to be armed with a weapon)