Crisis Prevention & Response

On this page, you will find information and resources specific to emerging and best practices and models for supporting someone before, during, and after a crisis. Often, individuals with I/DD, brain injuries, or other cognitive disabilities and a mental health condition are at risk of not having their needs met during crisis response and can be at greater risk of becoming institutionalized following a crisis.

• Crisis Intervention After Brain Injury— Article exploring how to understand and address the impact of differences people experience after a brain injury that can make them more likely to feel unsafe and experience a "crisis" situation (written before 988 Implementation) (Brain Injury Association of North Carolina, 2019)
• Impact of Crisis Care on Psychiatric Admission in Adults With Intellectual Disability and Mental Illness And/or Challenging Behavior: A Systematic Review— Article reporting on a synthesis of available evidence on the effectiveness of crisis care in reducing psychiatric admission in adults with intellectual disabilities and mental illness and/or challenging behavior (Tai et al., 2024)
• National Guidelines for Child and Youth Behavioral Health Crisis Care— Report on how improving crisis care for youth, including those with dual diagnoses, needs to include providing developmentally appropriate, integrated support and addressing gaps in current crisis response systems (SAMHSA, 2022)
• Crisis Response Strategies for Adult Individuals With Intellectual and/or Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) (Video)— Webinar (1:54:35) training for mobile crisis team responders that describes how mobile crisis teams can effectively assess, respond, and support people in crisis (Medi-Cal Mobile Crisis Training and Technical Assistance Center, Kristin Dempsey, 2023)
• Crisis Supports for the Autism Community— Resource developed to aid crisis center workers in identifying potential callers and texters who show autistic traits and characteristics, as well as ways to support an autistic person in crisis (American Association of Suicidology and Common Ground, Lisa Morgan, 2018) 
• Noticing the Signs of Mental Health Concerns— Infographic that introduces the variety of mental health concerns that may affect an autistic person (ASERT, 2018)
• Crisis Response Services for People with Mental Illnesses or Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: A Review of the Literature on Police-based and Other First Response Models— Research that aims to improve interactions between people with mental illnesses and developmental disabilities and the police and their community partners in ways that improve safety for all (Vera Serving Safely Initiative, 2019)
• Crisis Services: Addressing Unique Needs of Diverse Populations— Paper that reviews crisis services and critical issues related to access to care for diverse populations encountering crisis services (National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors, 2020)
• Crisis Services Response for IDD and Other Special Populations— Resource that outlines experience in responding to Mississippi’s issue of crisis response for people with I/DD (Mississippi Department of Mental Health, 2021)
• Webinar Series: Innovative & Alternative Approaches for De-Escalating People in Crisis Situations (Video)— Webinar (1:10:21) that outlines the CAHOOTS de-escalation training from Oregon state that promotes supports through minimal intervention (Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities National Training Center, 2021)
• What To Do When I Don’t Feel Okay: Big Ideas— Guide made for people who have I/DD and mental health support needs that can help people learn how to stay safe during a crisis and about different crisis plans (The Link Center, 2023)
• Crisis in Services: Self-Care, Self-Directed Care, and Use of Technology Supporting All— Paper that reviews challenges, means of relief and recovery via self-directed care and support, and how providers and people seeking care may navigate behavioral health issues in the future (National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors, 2022)
• Crisis Care for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities— Research study that identifies gaps in mental health services for people with I/DD and explores models of care and best practices for this population (The Guild for Human Services, 2021)
• ER - IDD Stabilization Protocol - Caring for Patients with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities— Guide that demonstrates what to do and what not to do when supporting someone with I/DD in an emergency room (Tennessee Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities)
• Proactive Crisis Intervention and Prevention through Interagency Collaboration (Video)— Webinar (1:25:17) that covers models driven by collaboration, partnership, I/DD and mental health interagency engagement, and the voices of people receiving services (The National Association for the Dually Diagnosed, 2022)