MCORTs Respond to Non-Life Threatening Mental Health, Substance Use, and Suicidal Crises

April 17 2025

(TRENTON) – Human Services today announced that the 988 Mobile Crisis Outreach Response Teams (MCORTs) are now operational. MCORTs are a voluntary service available statewide to individuals ages 18 years and older in non-life-threatening situations who have contacted the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

MCORTs respond to non-life-threatening mental health, substance use, and suicidal crises without law enforcement or other emergency personnel when it is safe to do so. They work in coordination with the State’s 988 Lifeline centers and are dispatched when a 988 Crisis Counselor assesses that community outreach would be helpful and the person calling 988 is interested in such services for themselves or a loved one.

“Timely behavioral health supports set our residents up for the best possible long-term outcomes. That is why we have made it a priority to invest in our 988 system of care,” said Governor Phil Murphy. “With our newly operational Mobile Crisis Outreach Response Teams, we are building on our already robust continuum of supports to ensure New Jerseyans have access to services they need to de-escalate crises and access needed resources. Today’s announcement underscores that – in New Jersey – help is truly only a phone call or text message away.”

The Murphy Administration has made historic investments in mental health crisis response services across departments, including the MCORTs under Human Services, the ARRIVE Together Program under the Department of Law and Public Safety, and Children’s Mobile Response Stabilization Services under the Department of Children and Families.

“I am proud of the work we have done to strengthen 988 in New Jersey, and how we respond to behavioral crises in the community. The need for mental health, substance use, and suicide crisis services remains high. People in distress who call, text, or chat 988 will tap into a system of care that extends past that initial outreach. This help ensures we meet people where they are and connect them to the most appropriate care to meet their needs,” said Human Services Commissioner Sarah Adelman.

MCORTs are part of a greater effort to bolster New Jersey’s crisis response continuum and ensure families in crisis have someone to call, someone to respond, and somewhere to go when experiencing a mental health, substance use, and/or a suicidal crisis. Human Services has been enhancing 988 Lifeline centers while establishing these MCORTs, crisis receiving and stabilization centers, and crisis diversion homes. 

Since the Department’s soft launch of MCORTs in March, MCORTs have been successful in voluntarily getting individuals into treatment and services to address substance use and mental health issues.

MCORTs are currently available from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and will expand to 24/7 coverage in the near future.

“By working closely with the 988 contact centers, MCORTs ensure individuals experiencing a crisis receive the right support and services, while reducing the need for law enforcement involvement. This initiative strengthens New Jersey’s 988 system, offering families a reliable resource when facing a mental health or substance use emergency,” said Deputy Commissioner for Health Services Valerie Mielke.

The Department awarded $16 million in State-funded contracts across the following providers for these services:        

• Bridgeway Behavioral Health Services - Serves Hunterdon, Somerset, Warren, Morris, and Sussex  
• CarePlus NJ - Serves Bergen and Passaic  
• Collaborative Support Programs of NJ - Serves Monmouth, Ocean, Middlesex, and Union
• Legacy Treatment Services - Serves Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland, Camden, Gloucester, Salem, Burlington, and Mercer
• Mental Health Association of Essex & Morris County - Serves Essex, Hudson, and Morris

988 is the nationwide 3-digit dialing code for suicide prevention and mental health or substance use crisis.

Last year, New Jersey’s 988 contact centers answered nearly 69,000 calls. And more than 144,000 calls have been answered in New Jersey since July 2022, when the 988 lifeline launched.

MCORTs are comprised of a two-person team in the field under remote supervision by a third professional. The professionals involved include a trained peer support specialist and an experienced bachelor’s level professional. As needed, a master’s level supervisor will provide clinical backup and supervision remotely.

All staff involved in providing or overseeing direct services in the MCORT program are trained in trauma-informed care, de-escalation, harm reduction strategies, safety/risk screening, assessment, stabilization techniques, crisis planning, and privacy and confidentiality policies and procedures.

MCORTs provide, when possible, safe and appropriate transport to crisis stabilization and receiving centers, Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics, or hospital emergency departments for appropriate care and treatment. When appropriate, MCORTs help connect individuals with a mental health and/or substance use provider for follow-up support and ongoing care.

“The takeaway here is that 988 can help when you’re struggling, with no judgment, and refer you to other helpful services and treatment. Anyone experiencing mental health struggles or emotional distress, should call or text 988 or chat at 988Lifeline.org/chat, which is available 24 hours a day, every day,” said Renee Burawski, Assistant Commissioner of the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services.