Mobile response and stabilization services partnerships - RI mobile response and stabilization services partnerships abstract the rhode island department of children, youth and families (dcyf) seeks…

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration awarded the Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) $750,000 on September 30, 2026, through the Center for Mental Health Services Projects of Regional and National Significance program (CFDA 93.532).

DCYF will strengthen and expand Rhode Island's statewide mobile response and stabilization services (MRSS) system by enhancing geographic reach, workforce capacity, and programmatic infrastructure. The project will establish a permanent statewide training infrastructure supporting high-fidelity, evidence-informed crisis response, formalize cross-system partnerships to ensure consistent crisis assistance for children and youth, and advance a coordinated, sustainable MRSS system across Rhode Island.

DCYF leads the effort in partnership with three licensed MRSS providers: Newport Mental Health, Family Service of Rhode Island (FSRI), and Tides Family Services. These partners bring clinical expertise, community-based crisis response capacity, and established relationships with families, schools, healthcare systems, and community providers. The period of performance runs from September 30, 2026, through September 29, 2030, with work performed in Providence, Rhode Island.

Mobile response and stabilization services partnerships - RI mobile response and stabilization services partnerships abstract the rhode island department of children, youth and families (dcyf) seeks to strengthen and expand its statewide mobile response and stabilization services (mrss) system by enhancing the geographic reach, workforce capacity, and programmatic infrastructure of rhode island's collaborative network of mrss providers. With longstanding experience leading statewide child-serving systems, managing cross-agency initiatives, and advancing behavioral health, juvenile justice, and child welfare system improvements, dcyf has the capacity and infrastructure to effectively lead and coordinate this effort. Through the mobile crisis training partnerships cooperative agreement, dcyf, in partnership with newport mental health, family service of rhode island (fsri), and tides family services, will build the infrastructure needed to strengthen the mrss workforce, improve cross-system coordination, and ensure the long-term sustainability of rhode island's children's behavioral health crisis system. Dcyf will leverage its statewide leadership, established partnerships, and system-level expertise to guide implementation in collaboration with the three licensed mrss provider partners. Newport mental health, fsri, and tides family services bring extensive clinical experience, community-based crisis response capacity, and strong relationships with families, schools, healthcare systems, and community providers. Together, this state-provider partnership is positioned to advance a coordinated, sustainable, and high-quality mrss system for children, youth, and families across rhode island. Specifically, the project will: (1) strengthen the mrss workforce by establishing a permanent statewide training infrastructure that supports high-fidelity, evidence-informed crisis response; (2) formalize cross-system partnerships to ensure children and youth in crisis are consistently routed to mrss rather than law enforcement-only or emergency department responses whenever appropriate; (3) increase statewide awareness of mrss among families, healthcare providers, schools, first responders, and other referral partners to improve timely access to services; (4) implement a unified statewide continuous quality improvement (CQI) process across the three-provider mrss network to promote consistent, high-quality service delivery and outcomes; and (5) sustain and continuously strengthen rhode island's children's crisis system by developing the workforce, partnerships, and quality infrastructure needed to support mrss beyond the grant period. Together, these activities will improve access to timely, family-centered crisis care, reduce unnecessary emergency department utilization and system involvement, and strengthen rhode island's behavioral health crisis continuum for children, youth, and families.