OKC launches Mobile Integrated Healthcare program to improve crisis response

City officials and public safety leaders have launched Oklahoma City’s Mobile Integrated Healthcare (MIH) program, an initiative aimed at enhancing how emergency services respond to behavioral and mental health crises. 

Led by the Oklahoma City Fire Department (OKCFD), the program was introduced during a public event at Fire Station No. 1 at 820 NW 5th St. MIH offers an alternative to traditional 911 responses by deploying mental health and medical professionals to certain calls instead of law enforcement. 

Developed in partnership with the OKC Public Safety Partnership and the city’s Crisis Intervention Advisory Group, the MIH program is designed to improve outcomes for residents experiencing mental health emergencies. It also supports law enforcement, firefighters and paramedics by allowing them to focus on critical life-safety incidents. 

“The goal is to build a true alternative response to mental health calls,” said Andrea Grayson, Public Safety Partnership implementation manager for the city. “As we focus on public safety, we’re focused on creating safe neighborhoods and supporting our officers too. This program is meant to make sure everyone gets the help they need, receives wraparound services and gets home safely.” 

The program includes several components: 

• A Crisis Call Diversion team embedded at the 911 communications center that triages behavioral health-related calls. 
• A Crisis Response Team that responds to high-risk mental health emergencies. 
• An Alternative Response Team that handles non-emergency behavioral health needs and overdose cases. 
• The Community Advocacy Program, which connects frequent 911 callers with appropriate resources. 

“This system adds depth to the 911 response system, making sure that people are connected with someone trained in mental health treatment and de-escalation to help meet their needs,” said OKCFD Mobile Integrated Healthcare Program Manager Lori Brown-Loftis.  

Grayson echoed this statement, sharing that having trained mental health professionals embedded in 911 is the linchpin of the system. 

Assistant City Manager Jason Ferbrache said MIH is reshaping public safety in OKC. “Prior to Mobile Integrated Healthcare, police, firefighters and paramedics have answered every kind of emergency call. By developing Mobile Integrated Healthcare, we’re increasing the capacity of first responders to assist with life safety emergencies while seeing to it that residents and visitors in mental health crisis can benefit from the expertise of mental health professionals. When we send the appropriate team to calls, we create better outcomes for everyone in our community.” 

Grayson emphasized there are times when MIH responds alongside other first responder agencies like police, fire or EMSA. “Our goal in those cases is to release them from the scene as quickly as possible, as long as it's safe to do so,” Grayson said. “If there’s no acute medical or legal concern, we take over so they can return to service.” 

The program builds on earlier initiatives including the 2019 Community Advocacy Program and the 2023 Overdose Response Team. MIH began staffing in 2024 with a 27-member team, including clinicians, response navigators, paramedics and peer recovery specialists. Each mobile unit pairs a mental health professional with a paramedic, all under the supervision of licensed clinicians and supported by field supervisors. The city also deployed specially equipped vehicles to aid individuals in mental health crises. MIH currently operates daily from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., with plans to extend its hours. 

Brown-Loftis said MIH is helping set a new national standard for emergency response. While fire, EMSA and police have historically responded to mental health crises, their training isn’t solely focused on mental illness. In contrast, MIH teams are specifically trained for mental health emergencies and only need to navigate the broader emergency response system. 

“This fills a critical gap,” Brown-Loftis said. “When someone calls 911 for mental health symptoms or suicidal thoughts, they can now be met by professionals specifically trained for that kind of emergency. This program provides another option for those who may not be aware of 988 or who default to calling 911. Now they know that somebody who is specially trained as a mental health professional can respond to those emergency calls.” 

Grayson shared that her hope with the official launch of MIH is to see a decrease in police responses to residents in mental health crises and more residents receiving wraparound services on the front end. 

To learn more about the Mobile Integrated Healthcare program, visit okc.gov/mih.