
Cloud-based Dispatching for
Mobile Crisis Teams

Crisis Dispatching: What’s the Goal?
While most everyone is familiar with the core technological functions of a crisis hotline, less familiar are the functions of dispatch technologies. In short, the main objective of a dispatch solution is to ensure that the right responder is sent to the right location at the right time. And if that’s all that was needed, a simple phone call or text message would be all that’s needed to manage mobile crisis teams. But it goes beyond that.
The Crisis Response Workflow
Fortunately, there’s a predictable set of steps that Dispatchers and MCTs need to follow to ensure rapid response and seamless coordination:

Dispatcher
- Call Processing — A Dispatcher is connected to a Help-Seeker and obtains their location and phone number
- Call Triage — The Dispatcher assesses the Help-Seeker’s status and determines which type of MCT is required
- Resource Assignment — The Dispatcher locates the appropriate MCT(s) and assigns them to the incident
- Incident Monitoring — After the appropriate MCT has been assigned, the Dispatcher maintains communication with the Help-Seeker and follows the progress of the MCT(s) using GPS-enabled tracking, text/audio chat groups, and safety alerts and check-ins.
Collectively, these features represent what is often referred to as “Air Traffic Control”.

Mobile
Crisis Team
Once an MCT is assigned to an incident, they follow the same workflow steps:
- Travel to Scene — The MCT confirms they en route and receives additional information from the Dispatcher as it becomes available
- Telephonic Triage — The MCT connects with the Help-Seeker prior to in-person engagement to gather more information and develop a plan
- Assess Scene — Once at the incident location, the MCT assess the situation, determine need for additional resources and engage with the person in crisis
- Engagement/Assessment/Intervention — The MCT engages with the Help-Seeker, assesses their needs and resources, delivers brief interventions and facilitates connection to services and resources
- Transport to Facility-based Care — If required, the MCT may provide transport to a dedicated facility for additional services
- Warm Hand-Off — Upon arrival, the MCT will provide a detailed report of the engagement to the clinical care providers
- Incident Completion — After the MCT’s involvement has concluded, they inform the Dispatcher that they are finished and can return to service
Dispatch Models
Not every MCT program operates the same way; different communities and programs have different needs. To ensure each MCT provider can deploy the technology needed to match their particular operations workflow, Beacon offers multiple options to assign and coordinate their teams:
Broadcasting
An alert is sent to multiple MCT’s to determine who is available and can respond quickest to the incident location.

Direct Assignment
A specific MCT is selected by the Dispatcher based on pre-determined criteria and is assigned to the incident.

Hybrid
Used when multiple MCT’s are needed, but circumstances prevent the Dispatcher from relying on one model – e.g., if the Assigned Responder has a long ETA and other MCTs may be closer.


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