EMPS Reports Increased Impact in Q3 (Fiscal Year 2011)

ROCKY HILL, Conn., July 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- EMPS, a free mobile intervention service for children and adolescents in crisis provided in partnership by the State of Connecticut and United Way of Connecticut 2-1-1, recently released its report for Q3 (fiscal year 2011) which revealed a 20% increase in mobile crisis responses over Q3 of the prior fiscal year.  The largest increases were reported in Eastern and Central Connecticut, which grew by 66% and 33% respectively.

"We are encouraged by the increased usage of EMPS statewide and the significant gains in reported mobile crisis responses in Eastern and Central Connecticut," said Robert Plant, Ph.D., Director of Community Programs and Services, State of Connecticut Department of Children and Families. "We are pleased that we have successfully educated more families, counselors, and school administrators on the free resources available by dialing 2-1-1 to reach EMPS across Connecticut."

Beyond extending its reach by 20%, EMPS increased its mobility to 89.9%, reflecting a 7% increase over Q3 2010.  EMPS also reported increases in mobile crisis responses among five of its six service regions.  In addition, the statewide median response time in Q3 2011 was 28 minutes, with all six service areas demonstrating a median response time of 31 minutes or less, which demonstrates a timely response to crises statewide.

By dialing 2-1-1 and, when prompted, pressing '1' for 'crisis', educators and parents can gain access to EMPS' team of nearly 150 trained mental health professionals across the state that can respond immediately, face-to-face or by phone, to help manage the child's behavioral or emotional crisis.  EMPS can help when a child is acting violently or dangerously, is unresponsive to authority, is destroying property or is out of control, is threatening to hurt himself/herself or others, and/or having a behavioral crisis that requires outside support.

EMPS phone support is available 24 hours a day, 365 days per year, and mobile support, Monday through Friday from 9:00a.m.-10:00p.m. and from 1:00p.m.-10:00p.m. on weekends and holidays.  Following the crisis, an EMPS clinician and members of the provider team will meet with the child's family for up to six weeks, develop an action plan and connect them with additional community resources to help the child work through the challenges that prompted the initial crisis.

To learn more about how EMPS can help manage and respond to behavioral and emotional crises in schools, visit http://empsct.org.  

About EMPS:

Emergency Mobile Psychiatric Services (EMPS) is a mobile intervention service for children and adolescents experiencing a behavioral or mental health crisis that is accessed by calling 2-1-1. Funded by the Connecticut Department of Children and Families and in partnership with the United Way of Connecticut, the program comprises a team of nearly 150 trained mental health professionals across the state that can respond immediately by phone or in person within 45 minutes when a child is experiencing an emotional or behavioral crisis.  To learn more, visit http://empsct.org or for support during a crisis, dial 2-1-1 and press '1' for 'Crisis.'

Media Contact: Danielle Cyr | Co-Communications | 860.676.4400 | [email protected]

SOURCE EMPS