SAN DIEGO — In September, the San Diego State University Police Department (UPD)
launched its partnership with the County of San Diego to implement the Mobile Crisis Response
Team (MCRT) program.
This is a countywide service that deploys behavioral health experts to crisis calls instead of law enforcement, when appropriate. The teams are made up of clinicians, case managers, and peer support specialists.
“It’s in alignment with our sensitivity to the many members of our community who may be triggered or traumatized by just the presence of a uniform,” said Greg Murphy, SDSU Chief of Police.
In August, UPD also implemented the Psychiatric Crisis Assessment Support Team (P-CAST) to address behavioral health crises on campus.
“Often times our students living in the dorms or other campus communities members might find themselves experiencing mental health, where they might be having thoughts of harming themselves,” said Dr. Michael Juan, Associate Director of Counseling and Psychological Services. “Our team would be launched or deployed with our University Police Department in order to provide an assessment alongside our officers to make sure that the person in need get the help that they need.”
P-CAST is staffed by mental health clinicians from Counseling and Psychological Services who provide on-site psychiatric assessments, de-escalation, consultation, and connect individuals to appropriate resources.
SDSU community members who contact UPD regarding a behavioral health concern may be
referred to MCRT or P-CAST
