Hillsborough County Public Schools Mobile Response Team
Providing immediate, professional crisis intervention to keep students safe while maintaining their connection to education and community.
The Hillsborough County Public Schools Mobile Response Team (HCPS MRT) at Ibis Healthcare represents a vital partnership between our clinical experts and the school system, designed to provide immediate, compassionate crisis intervention for students experiencing mental health emergencies on school campuses throughout Hillsborough County.
Our specialized program pairs clinical expertise with care management services, requiring both a licensed clinician and a care manager to respond to each crisis situation. This comprehensive approach ensures that students receive thorough, professional assessment and appropriate intervention while maintaining their safety and connection to educational support systems.
Comprehensive School-Based Crisis Intervention
On-Campus Crisis Assessment and Support
Our Mobile Response Team provides critical mental health crisis intervention directly on school campuses, bringing professional clinical assessment to students who are experiencing acute mental health emergencies during school hours. The team is specifically trained to work within educational environments, understanding both the clinical needs of students in crisis and the unique challenges that school settings present.
The primary function of our Mobile Response Team involves conducting thorough clinical assessments of students who may be experiencing thoughts of self-harm, suicidal ideation, or other serious mental health crises that could pose danger to themselves or others. Our licensed clinicians are trained and authorized to initiate involuntary examinations, commonly known as Baker Acts, when a student presents an immediate danger to themselves or others and requires immediate psychiatric evaluation and stabilization.
Equally important is our team's ability to divert students from inpatient psychiatric settings when appropriate. Through skilled clinical assessment and immediate intervention, our team can often provide the support and safety planning necessary to keep students in their community and school environment while connecting them with appropriate outpatient mental health services.
This diversion capability represents a crucial service for students and families, as it allows young people to maintain their educational progress and community connections while receiving the mental health support they need. Our team understands that hospitalization, while sometimes necessary, can be disruptive to a student's academic and social development, making community-based intervention the preferred option whenever clinically appropriate.
For families who may need additional crisis support beyond school hours, our Adult Mental Health Emergency Services provides 24/7 emergency mental health care with walk-in availability and mobile crisis response throughout Tampa Bay.
How the Mobile Response Team Works
Specialized Referral Process
The HCPS Mobile Response Team operates through a carefully structured, closed referral process designed to ensure appropriate utilization of services while maintaining necessary confidentiality and safety protocols. The team is deployed to school campuses only when specific criteria are met and proper authorization is obtained.
School district clinicians serve as the primary point of contact for Mobile Response Team deployment. These educational mental health professionals, who work directly within the school system, are trained to recognize when a student's mental health crisis requires immediate professional intervention beyond what can be provided through typical school counseling services. When school district clinicians determine that Mobile Response Team intervention is necessary, they initiate contact with our team.
Guardian consent represents a critical component of the referral process, ensuring that parents or legal guardians are informed and involved in their child's crisis intervention services. This consent requirement reflects our commitment to family-centered care and ensures that emergency mental health services are provided in coordination with, rather than in place of, family support and involvement.
Collaborative Partnership with School Districts
Our Mobile Response Team coverage extends to all public schools throughout Hillsborough County, ensuring that every student in the district has access to professional crisis intervention services when needed. This comprehensive coverage reflects our commitment to educational equity and recognition that mental health crises can occur in any school setting, regardless of demographics or location.
The partnership between Ibis Healthcare and Hillsborough County Public Schools represents a model of collaboration that benefits students, families, educators, and the broader community. School personnel receive the support of licensed mental health professionals during crisis situations, while our clinical team gains valuable insight into the educational environment and school-based factors that may contribute to or alleviate student mental health challenges.
This collaborative approach ensures that crisis intervention services are provided in a manner that respects the educational mission of schools while prioritizing student safety and mental health needs. Our team works closely with school administrators, teachers, and support staff to ensure that interventions are conducted with minimal disruption to the educational environment while maintaining the highest standards of clinical care.
Professional Communication and Coordination
Communication protocols between the Mobile Response Team and school personnel are designed to ensure effective coordination while maintaining appropriate confidentiality protections. Our team provides school staff with necessary information about student safety and any recommendations for ongoing support within the educational environment, while respecting privacy requirements and family preferences.
The closed nature of our referral system means that contact information for the Mobile Response Team is not shared with the general public, ensuring that deployment occurs through appropriate channels and that our clinical resources are utilized effectively for the most serious crisis situations requiring immediate professional intervention.
Follow-Up Care and Service Connections
Ensuring Continuity of Care
One of the most critical components of the HCPS Mobile Response Team's work involves providing up to 30 days of follow-up services to ensure that students who have experienced mental health crises are successfully connected to appropriate outpatient mental health services. This follow-up period recognizes that the immediate crisis intervention represents only the beginning of a student's mental health recovery journey.
During the 30-day follow-up period, our care managers work actively to connect students and families with community-based mental health providers who can provide ongoing therapeutic support. This may include individual therapy, family counseling, psychiatric services, or other mental health interventions appropriate to each student's specific needs and circumstances.
Students who require ongoing school-based support may benefit from our East Henry Academy program, which provides comprehensive mental health services directly within the educational environment for students with Emotional/Behavioral Disabilities. For younger children ages 5-19 with complex medical and behavioral health needs, our B-NET Program offers specialized care coordination through the Children's Medical Services Health Plan.
The follow-up process also involves coordination with school personnel to ensure that students receive appropriate educational support and accommodation that may be needed as they continue their mental health treatment. This might include communication with school counselors, teachers, or administrators about strategies for supporting the student's academic success while they engage in mental health services.
Our care managers also work to address practical barriers that might prevent students and families from accessing ongoing mental health care, such as transportation challenges, insurance issues, or scheduling conflicts. By addressing these practical concerns, we help ensure that the crisis intervention services provided by our Mobile Response Team lead to sustained engagement with mental health support rather than representing an isolated intervention.
For families seeking preventive support before crisis situations develop, our Youth Prevention Programs offers evidence-based interventions that build resilience and strengthen decision-making skills for children at various Hillsborough County Schools and their families.
Summer Prevention and Enrichment Program
Proactive Mental Health Support During Summer Months
During the summer, the HCPS Mobile Response Team continues to be available offering summer school programs, ensuring that crisis intervention services remain accessible to students year-round. However, recognizing an opportunity for proactive intervention, we have developed a comprehensive summer program designed to address mental health challenges before they reach crisis levels.
Data analysis of our Mobile Response Team interventions revealed that middle school students consistently required the most crisis interventions throughout the school year. This trend highlighted an opportunity to take a proactive approach by providing preventive mental health programming specifically designed to address the emotional and behavioral challenges that commonly affect this age group.
MRT Summer Program: Building Essential Life Skills
Our MRT Summer Program provides enrichment opportunities focusing on emotional, behavioral, and health-related skill development for students who could benefit from additional support during the summer months. The program is offered at no cost to students and families, removing financial barriers that might prevent access to valuable mental health and wellness programming.
The summer program curriculum addresses the specific skill areas where our Mobile Response Team most frequently observes students struggling during crisis situations. Group sessions and interactive activities focus on building self-esteem, developing effective social skills, improving communication abilities, enhancing problem-solving capabilities, and learning healthy coping strategies for managing stress and emotional challenges.
Creative programming elements include arts and crafts activities that provide alternative outlets for emotional expression while building confidence and fostering positive peer relationships. These activities are designed to be engaging and age-appropriate while incorporating therapeutic elements that support emotional growth and skill development.
To ensure that students can participate fully in programming without concern for basic needs, the summer program provides lunch and snacks for all participants. This comprehensive approach recognizes that addressing hunger and nutrition supports students' ability to engage meaningfully in mental health and wellness activities.
Prevention-Focused Community Investment
The summer program represents our commitment to prevention-focused mental health services that address challenges before they escalate to crisis levels. By providing proactive skill-building opportunities during the summer months, we work to strengthen students' emotional resilience and coping abilities before they return to the academic year.
This preventive approach aligns with research demonstrating that early intervention and skill-building programming can significantly reduce the likelihood of future mental health crises while promoting overall wellness and academic success. Students who participate in summer programming enter the new school year with enhanced emotional regulation skills and stronger peer support networks.
Professional Team Leadership
Expert Clinical Supervision
The HCPS Mobile Response Team operates under the leadership of experienced mental health professionals who have specialized expertise in both crisis intervention and school-based mental health services.
Jenny Kangas, LMHC, serves as Program Supervisor for the Hillsborough County Public Schools Mobile Response Team, bringing extensive experience in crisis mental health services and school-based interventions. As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Jenny provides clinical supervision and program oversight that ensures all Mobile Response Team interventions meet the highest standards of professional mental health practice.
Candace Fraser, LMHC, serves as Team Lead for the HCPS Mobile Response Team, providing direct clinical leadership and coordination of crisis response services. As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with specialized training in crisis intervention, Candace ensures that team responses are clinically appropriate, timely, and coordinated effectively with school personnel and families.
Both supervisors are located on our campus at 2815 E. Henry Ave, Suite B3, Tampa, FL 33610, where they coordinate Mobile Response Team services and maintain communication with school district partners and other community mental health providers.
Maintaining Professional Standards
The leadership team ensures that all Mobile Response Team clinicians receive ongoing training in crisis intervention techniques, Baker Act procedures, school-based mental health practices, and trauma-informed care approaches. This training ensures that students and families receive services that are both clinically effective and sensitive to the unique challenges that young people face when experiencing mental health crises.
Professional supervision also includes regular review of crisis response protocols, coordination procedures with school personnel, and follow-up care effectiveness. This ongoing quality improvement process ensures that the Mobile Response Team continues to evolve and improve its services based on best practices in school-based crisis intervention and feedback from students, families, and educational partners.
Supporting Student Mental Health in Educational Settings
The HCPS Mobile Response Team represents Ibis Healthcare's commitment to ensuring that mental health crises among students receive immediate, professional attention within the supportive environment of their school community. By partnering with Hillsborough County Public Schools, we help ensure that young people experiencing mental health emergencies receive the care they need while maintaining their connection to education and peer support.
For School District Professionals: The Mobile Response Team serves as a critical resource for school-based mental health professionals who encounter students experiencing acute mental health crises requiring immediate clinical intervention beyond the scope of typical school counseling services.
Contact Information:
Program Supervisor: Jenny Kangas, LMHC - 813-504-3337
Team Lead: Candace Fraser, LMHC - 813-309-8993
Address: 2815 E. Henry Ave, Suite B3, Tampa, FL 33610
Important Note: The HCPS Mobile Response Team operates through a closed referral system. Contact information is not shared with the general public, and referrals must come through the Hillsborough County School District clinicians or Ibis Healthcare's Children's Crisis Unit.