This multi-disciplinary program provides prompt response in the county when an individual is experiencing a behavioral health crisis. Clinicians respond to calls from anyone in the community 24 hours a day, 7 days a week year-round and dispatch to locations throughout Orange County. Clinicians receive specialized training and are designed to conduct evaluations and risk assessment that are geared to the individual's age and developmental level. The evaluations include interviews with the individual, as well as parents, guardians, family members, law enforcement, emergency department staff and/or school personnel, if available. Clinicians link individuals to an appropriate level of care to ensure their safety, which may involve initiation a hospitalization. CAT clinicians also follow-up with individuals and/or their parents/guardians to provide information, referrals and linkage to ongoing behavioral health services that may help reduce the need for future crisis interventions. (Source = MHSA...p,107) The CAT also includes the Psychiatric Emergency Response Teams (PERTs), which consist of CAT clinicians who are stationed or ride along with assigned law enforcement officers to address behavioral health-related calls in their assigned city. PERT provides all the same services as CAT and also initiates involuntary hospitalizations as necessary. (Source = MHSA...p.106)
