Mobile Crisis Intervention Unit (MCIU)

About Us

The New Orleans Health Department has partnered with Resources for Human Development (RHD) to revolutionize emergency mental health care. Through our Mobile Crisis Intervention Unit (MCIU), we're integrating specialized behavioral health response into the city's 911 system.

Our MCIU team brings together licensed clinical social workers, counselors and peer support specialists under the supervision of mental health clinicians. Each response team includes at least two trained professionals, ensuring comprehensive care during crisis situations.

Our Mission

As the fifth branch of New Orleans' 911 emergency response system, we provide innovative, specialized care for behavioral health crises.

Our Commitment

We are dedicated to:

  • Delivering immediate, compassionate care in comfortable settings
  • Reducing emergency room visits through community-based intervention
  • Offering an alternative to police response for non-violent mental health emergencies

MCIU Community Advisory Board

To promote community oversight and ongoing collaboration with program leaders, NOHD launched a Community Advisory Board (CAB) for the MCIU in partnership with the Vera Institute of Justice. Broadly, CAB members are tasked with sharing feedback on MCIU policies and performance with NOHD and RHD staff, as well as other relevant agency representatives, to ensure that program activities reflect the insights of directly impacted community members and ultimately meet community needs.

CAB meetings will focus on a range of topics, including:

  • programmatic updates;
  • community education;
  • coordination with other community resources; and
  • strategies for ensuring transparency and data-driven implementation.

If you are interested in serving on the board, complete the CAB Recruitment Form or contact us at mciucabcares@gmail.com .

CAB Recruitment Form

Bilingual community members with Spanish, Vietnamese and ASL knowledge are encouraged to apply!

Upcoming Meetings

September 17, 2025
6:30 p.m.

Corpus Christi-Epiphany Community Center
2022 St. Bernard Ave

Agenda

To learn more about RHD, visit New Orleans Mobile Crisis Intervention Unit - Resources for Human Development (rhd.org)

Frequently Asked Questions

MCIU teams will respond to nonviolent behavioral health calls. There is a wide variety of situations that might fall into that category, including people experiencing psychosis, thoughts of suicide, urgent need for substance use treatment and responses to trauma, for example.

MCIU teams will not respond to any crisis that involves weapons, threats of violence, an active suicide attempt or other medical emergency. In those cases the appropriate emergency responder will be dispatched.

If you or someone you witness appears to be experiencing an emergency behavioral health crisis, dial 9-1-1.

Data from April of 2018 through June of 2021 provided by the Orleans Parish Communication Department (OPCD / “9-1-1 call center”) indicated that about 2,920 calls per year or about 8 calls per day could have been diverted to the New Orleans MCIU teams using these protocols.

The calls diverted to MCIU should further relieve the burden on police and other first responders and subsequently reduce recidivism by providing expert clinicians to deal with complex mental health and social needs, addressing causal factors that is generally not within the scope of law enforcement duties.

MCIU Interactive Dashboard

MCIU is a civilian-only mobile crisis team operated by Resources for Human Development and funded by the New Orleans Health Department. Teams are dispatched through the local 911 system to respond to non-violent behavioral health crises.

The pages within this dashboard offer a glimpse into MCIU's operations, outcomes and its impact on the emergency response system.

View MCIU Dashboard

Disclaimer: Data included on this dashboard is subject to change as enhancements are made to the system. For specific questions regarding this dashboard or a data set, contact MCIU.

Coordinating Alternative First Response: Key Lessons and Recommendations from New Orleans

In 2023 the Vera Institute of Justice partnered with the New Orleans Health Department and service provider Resources for Human Development to support the launch of the city’s Mobile Crisis Intervention Unit, a city-wide mobile crisis response team dispatched through 911, through its first year.

This report provides critical lessons from New Orleans for building infrastructure to launch and sustain successful alternative first response and recommendations for local leaders who wish to implement alternative first response in their own communities.

Read the full report