Sentara supports mobile mental health emergency teams in Hampton, Virginia

Jasmine Blow lay on the pavement outside an elementary school, talking to a young boy hiding under a car.

“His mom was supposed to pick him up at 1 p.m., but it was 1:30 p.m. He had autism and he didn’t want to come out from under the car,” said Blow, a mobile crisis clinician with the Hampton CARES team and a licensed behavioral health counselor with the Hampton-Newport News Community Services Board.

“I was going to stay there as long as needed and was eventually able to get him out with a toy.”

Blow is part of a two-person team aboard the newly deployed mobile crisis van in Hampton, Virginia, which always has both a qualified behavioral health counselor and an emergency medical technician (EMT). When someone with a mental health emergency calls 911, instead of sending the police, operators can now deploy the van.

In May, Sentara partnered with the Hampton Division of Fire and Rescue and the Hampton-Newport News Community Services Board to launch the CARES (Compassionate Assistance Response) team, which responds to individuals experiencing behavioral or mental health crises. Sentara is funding the annual salary of the EMT. 

"When community members are experiencing a mental health crisis, situations can quickly become complex for both emergency department staff and law enforcement. That’s why having skilled professionals with specialized expertise is so important,” said Kapua Conley, senior vice president and acute care market president for Sentara’s Eastern Market. 

Conley added, "The mobile crisis van is designed to assess both physical and psychological needs right in the field, ensuring each individual is connected to the appropriate level of care and support precisely when and where they need it." 

Access to mental health resources was among the top concerns on Sentara CarePlex Hospital’s 2024 community health needs assessment, which is shaped by input from community members.

Conley and other Sentara leaders met with Hampton police and emergency responders, and the Hampton-Newport News Community Services Board, to come up with creative solutions to improve access. 

The CARES team provides a calm, non-police response to mental health crises, aiming to de-escalate situations, connect people to care, and reduce unnecessary emergency department visits or arrests.

“Partnering with Sentara is significant because it’s a recognition that we have to come together on this, and this does impact the health system,” said Hampton-Newport News Community Services Board Marcus Alert Coordinator Connie Vatsa. 

“We understand emergency departments are not the place where people are best treated for behavioral health emergencies.”  

Left to right: Blow, Elaine Lee, ALS Technician for Hampton Fire and Rescue, Vatsa, and Nikkia Reid, medic/firefighter with Hampton Fire and Rescue, stand next to the mobile crisis vehicle.

A behavioral health counselor and an EMT work together so one can handle emotional and behavioral needs while the other ensures physical safety and addresses medical needs, giving the person comprehensive care.

“Police aren’t always the best solution in a mental health crisis,” said Captain Rebecca Warren with Hampton Police. “When someone is experiencing a mental health episode, it’s critical to involve professionals who are trained to provide the right care. Our role should be to support those experts, not replace them.”

The only time police are involved is when there’s a risk of violence, weapons, or danger to others, to make sure the scene is safe before the crisis team steps in.

Captain Warren said taking someone into emergency custody during a mental health crisis is one of the most challenging and high-risk actions for officers. These situations require sensitivity and specialized care, which is why collaboration with mental health professionals is so important.

“Our officers have seen a real difference with joint responses involving mental health professionals—and in some cases, not involving officers at all,” said Captain Warren. 

“These partnerships help ensure people in crisis get the right care while reducing risk for everyone.”

‘I was so happy to see them’

Vivian Stevens, a Hampton resident, said the crisis team helped when her older sister, who has dementia and extreme anxiety, wandered out of the house. 

“I was so happy to see them. They had patience, they were so compassionate, and they walked her back to the house,” said Stevens. “A lot of families don’t even know this is a resource.”

Stevens was also surprised when the CARES team called her the next day.  

“So many people fall through the cracks, and I was grateful they followed up. It’s a rarity.” 

The behavioral health counselor on the CARES team dresses in casual civilian clothes, which helps people feel more at ease, be less resistant, and open up.

“When they see us they think we’re going to tell on them to the cops, so sometimes they’re a little reluctant to tell us versus telling Jasmine,” said Nikkia Reid, a medic and firefighter with Hampton who also works as an EMT with the CARES team. “When police or emergency services are removed from the scene, the anxiety lessens.”

Not only is the CARES team unthreatening, they are able to take their time with the patient, whether in public or in the person’s home.

“People will tell me, ‘I haven’t heard from my doctor,’ and right then I will call the doctor to schedule an appointment,” said Blow. “We are also embedded within the community so we can easily help them with scheduling appointments, therapy, or medications.”  

Since launching in May, Hampton’s CARES team has steadily increased their operations while dramatically reducing transports to Sentara CarePlex Hospital’s emergency department.