Document Type

Report

Publication Date

2011

Abstract

The primary mission of the Capital Region Child and Adolescent Mobile Crisis Team (CAMT) operated by Parsons Child & Family Center is to serve children and their families in behavioral, psychiatric or emotional distress by going where the crisis is occurring and intervening immediately and effectively to prevent unnecessary use of more restrictive and costly levels of care. CAMT serves any child or adolescent between 4 and 20 years of age residing in Albany, Rensselaer and Schenectady Counties who is experiencing a crisis, regardless of diagnosis or system involvement. The three counties span over 1,300 square miles, with a combined population of 605,994 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2010).

Since its inception in 2007, CAMT has endeavored to use the best available evidence to inform all aspects of program delivery. Consistent with that goal, CAMT approached the Center for Human Services Research (CHSR), University at Albany, to conduct a systematic and independent evaluation of its services for the period April 1, 2009 through March 31, 2010. The evaluation was designed to validate CAMT’s methods and inform its quality improvement efforts through identification of best practices and analysis of program data. Three inter-related questions motivated the evaluation:

  • To what extent are CAMT services compatible with best practices?
  • How effective are CAMT services in preventing hospitalizations and fostering postcrisis linkage with community-based supports?
  • Is CAMT a cost-effective service?

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