David Lawerence Centers for Behavioral Health (DLC) is expanding opportunities for Collier County community members to get the critical care they need through the creation of a dedicated mobile response team.

The mobile response team will support DLC’s mission to provide life-saving and life-changing behavioral health care to community members. The team will work hand-in-hand with the Collier County Sheriff’s Behavioral Health Bureau, improving how health care providers and law enforcement officials respond to community members with mental health or substance use challenges.

Creating a dedicated mobile response team will reduce trauma, while preventing unnecessary psychiatric hospitalizations or criminal proceedings by connecting individuals with resources in their community. The team will be available 24/7 for emergency behavioral health care, offering immediate on-site services to individuals in a mental health or emotional crisis, including screening and assessment, crisis de-escalation and stabilization, crisis counseling, development of safety or crisis plans, psychoeducation and care coordination.

“Collier County is facing the worst mental health and substance use crisis in its history, with more and more individuals in need of support,” said DLC CEO Scott Burgess. “At DLC, we’re committed to providing individuals and families the care they need, when they need it. Through the creation of a dedicated mobile response team, we’ll be able to more effectively serve our community members by providing on-demand crisis care in any setting where a mental health crisis can occur.”

DLC received $950,000 as part of Florida’s fiscal 2024-25 budget to support the launch of this essential community resource. Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, a Naples resident and long-time DLC supporter, was vital in securing this legislative appropriation.

“We are grateful for the support of Governor Ron DeSantis, Senate President Kathleen Passidomo and the entire Florida Legislature for this critical community project,” said Burgess. “Their support confirms the crucial need for mental health and substance use support services to provide hope for individuals and families throughout our community. With a dedicated Collier County mobile response team, DLC will be able to improve overall coordination, communication, effectiveness and resident safety and work seamlessly as an integral part of the local system.”

There are more than 50 mobile response teams across the state of Florida, according to the Florida Department of Children of Families. Currently, only one mobile response team serves the 20th Judicial Circuit, which serves Collier, Lee, Charlotte, Hendry and Glades counties. This makes it challenging to meet the expectations of the program, including a 60-minute response time, due to the significant geographic area.

The 20th Judicial Circuit is the largest geographic circuit in the state of Florida, encompassing more than 5,450 square miles or about 10% of the entire state. While Collier County makes up about 28% of the region’s population, it encompasses approximately 50% of the geographic area. This can substantially impact response times, putting community members in crisis at a greater risk.

Approximately 2,300 adults and children a year in Collier County face a severe mental health crisis, resulting in the need for emergency services provided by DLC under the state’s Baker Act. By creating a Collier County mobile response team, DLC will be able to respond to individuals in crisis throughout the community, including at homes, schools and businesses.

The mobile response team is part of DLC’s ongoing Hope for Collier: Building Stronger Minds Together initiative. Launched in 2023, the Hope for Collier initiative is a collaboration between DLC, Collier County, entrepreneurs and private philanthropists to expand and enhance access to mental health and substance use services and programs in Collier County.

“With a growing number of families, friends and neighbors experiencing mental health and substance use challenges each year, it is abundantly clear that there is a greater need for the support, services and programs DLC provides in Collier County,” said Burgess. “We know that there is no health without positive mental health, and to truly have Hope for Collier we must work together to build strong and resilient minds by investing in behavioral health care.”

DLC anticipates the Collier County mobile crisis team will be fully operational by October.

For more than 50 years, DLC has been committed to ensuring behavioral health care is available to everyone in need through education, prevention, intervention and treatment. DLC is currently the provider of all publicly funded acute care behavioral health services in Collier County and is an established 988 Lifeline Center. DLC delivers care throughout the community through six distinct centers of operation, including mental health, addiction recovery, emergency services, awareness and prevention, virtual care, and children and young adults.

To learn more about the lifesaving and life-changing services and programs offered by David Lawrence Centers, visit DLCenters.org

About David Lawrence Centers 

Southwest Florida nonprofit David Lawrence Centers for Behavioral Health (DLC) is a national leader providing compassionate, advanced, and exceptional mental health, substance use, and integrated healthcare solutions, available for children, adolescents, and adults. DLC’s innovative treatment includes inpatient, outpatient, residential, and community-based services – a comprehensive system of care funded by community and government support. Each year, DLC serves 9,000 people through over 341,000 treatment sessions. To learn more, visit DLCenters.org or call 239-455-8500.