Youth mental health mobile response up and running in all 88 Ohio counties

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine discusses plans for the statewide expansion of mobile response and stabilization services for all of Ohio's youth. COURTESY OF THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine discusses plans for the statewide expansion of mobile response and stabilization services for all of Ohio's youth. COURTESY OF THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE

Mobile response teams are now operating in all 88 Ohio counties as part of a $51 million program to provide mental health crisis services to Ohio youth age 20 and under.

Janell Hill, clinical director of Choices Coordinated Care Solutions, said since going live in September, her organization has been collaborating with school districts to be an outside resource to young people.

“What we really focus on is whatever the caller defines the crisis to be,” Hill said. “We get a little different perspective than the schools might get.”

She said signs of a crisis could be as subtle as a student who typically gets straight A’s suddenly failing their classes or someone no longer getting out of bed in the morning when they used to be an early riser.

“Everybody looks at life a little differently,” Hill said.

Mobile Response and Stabilization Services provides immediate help for children and young adults 20 and under who are experiencing overwhelming mental, emotional or behavioral distress.

When a crisis occurs, a team of trained professionals responds within 60 minutes directly to the person’s home, school or any other location to deescalate the crisis and provide ongoing support, all at no cost to the young person or their family.

Choices Coordinated Care Solutions was selected to serve the MRSS for Montgomery and Preble counties.

Hill said when called, they dispatch a licensed clinician for immediate assessment and a secondary responder who is a qualified specialist in family peer support or other area of need.

Hill said the majority of their calls since launching have come from referrals from Miamisburg City Schools — the first group they started working with when the program expanded — but also from self-referrals by the youth.

Coleman Health Services was chosen as the agency for Clark, Darke, Greene, Madison, Miami, Shelby, Allen, Auglaize, Champaign, Hardin and Logan counties.

Butler, Clinton, Hamilton and Warren counties are served by Butler Behavioral Health.

MRSS was originally launched in 2017 in a handful of Ohio counties before expanding to all 88 this month.

The $51 million statewide effort is funded by the state of Ohio. Locally, this includes $1.9 million for Choices Coordinated Care Solutions, $1.5 million for Butler Behavioral Health and $3.8 million for Coleman Health Services.

According to Gov. Mike DeWine’s office, there were more than 10,000 calls to MRSS statewide between July 1, 2024 and June 30, 2025.

Of those calls, suicidality (41%) was the primary reason for referral with family conflict/stress (27%) the second highest.

MRSS can be reached at 888-418-MRSS (6777).

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