Northern Virginia Public-Sector Crisis Brochure for Community Members and Stakeholders
October 19, 2022
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Marriage & Family Therapy Solutions
Marcus Alert
Marcus Alert enhances services for people experiencing a crisis related to mental health, substance use, or developmental disability. Marcus Alert creates coordination between 911 and regional crisis call centers and establishes a specialized behavioral health response from law enforcement when responding to a behavioral health situation.
The Marcus Alert is named after Marcus-David Peters, a young, Black biology teacher; killed by Richmond police in 2018 amid a mental health crisis. The goal of the Marcus Alert is to provide a behavioral health response to behavioral health emergencies.
Find more information on Marcus Alert and Prince William County’s Community Services here or copy and paste the link below https://www.pwcva.gov/department/community-services/marcus-alert
The program is now available in 5 localities, one within each region of the State.
- Western VA : Madison County, Fauquier County , Warrenton and Culpeper City (Rappahannock-Rapidan Community Services)
- Northern VA : Prince William County (Prince William County Community Services)
- Southwest VA: City of Bristol and Washington County including the Towns of Abingdon, Damascus, and Glade Spring (Highlands CSB)
- Central VA : City of Richmond (Richmond Behavioral Health Authority)
- Southeast VA: City of Virginia Beach (Virginia Beach Human Services )
The remaining cities and counties in Virginia have until July 1, 2026 to begin Marcus Alert.
- If you or a loved one make a call to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273- TALK) for a behavioral health crisis, you will be connected to the new regional crisis call centers.
- The regional crisis call center staff are trained to assess calls for what type of intervention is needed. They offer services ranging from over the phone de-escalation to mobile crisis dispatch. In more severe cases, they will also coordinate with law enforcement to arrive on the scene.
- Mobile Crisis Team – adult or youth
- REACH Crisis Team (services those with developmental disabilities)
- Mobile Co-Responder Team (includes Law Enforcement)
- CIT Trained Officers
- Other community response teams
- As a last resort, traditionally trained Law Enforcement, EMS, and/or Fire may be dispatched to the scene.
Equity at Intercept 0
The Sequential Intercept Model shows five points where people with mental health or substance use needs connect with the criminal justice system. Placing services at those points is needed to move people away from the criminal justice system and instead give them the support and services they may need.
This project looks at the first point, Intercept 0: Community Services. Intercept 0: Community Services are developing in Virginia. Across the state, you can find:
- Peer Run Warm Lines and Crisis lines
- Mobile Crisis Teams including REACH for those with developmental disabilities
- Jail Diversion Programs (getting people treatment instead of going to jail)
- Co-responder Teams (police and behavioral health responding together)
- And many others!
Helpful Tools & Community Resources
We’re here to connect you with the right information and crisis services to help keep you and your loved ones safe. See the links below for a few of our favorite, most impactful resources.
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