MyCare Technology pilot connects officers and crisis teams to licensed clinicians in real time
WARWICK, R.I. – Thrive Behavioral Health, Rhode Island’s leading provider of comprehensive mental health and substance use disorder services and one of the state’s eight Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) and the Warwick Police Department have been awarded a federal CCBHC Improvement and Advancement (CCBHC-IA) grant to launch a new pilot program that strengthens how mental health emergencies are handled in the community.
The $4 million grant will support the implementation of MyCare, a secure telehealth program that allows police officers and crisis responders to connect people in mental health crises directly to a licensed behavioral health clinician within seconds, using a tablet.
As part of the pilot:
- 20 MyCare tablets will be deployed
- 15 tablets will be placed in Warwick Police Department patrol cars
- 5 tablets will be used by Thrive’s Mobile Crisis Team
When officers or crisis responders encounter a mental health emergency, they can activate the MyCare tablet and immediately connect the individual to a clinician available 24/7/365. The clinician can help assess needs, be briefed on a situation prior to arrival, and guide next steps for care, often avoiding escalation, hospitalization, or arrest.
“This pilot builds on Thrive’s long-standing collaboration with the Warwick Police Department,” said Dawn Allen, CEO of Thrive Behavioral Health. “Our mental health crisis workers already partner closely with specially trained officers, responding together to mental health calls and following up with individuals who frequently need support. The MyCare program enhances that work by providing immediate clinical access on scene, strengthening coordination of care, and connections to community services, so people in crisis receive the right support at the right time.”
The CCBHC-IA grant, funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), is designed to help Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics expand access to care and improve coordination between behavioral health providers and community partners.
By partnering with the Warwick Police Department, Thrive aims to improve safety and outcomes for residents experiencing a mental health crisis, while easing the burden on emergency rooms and law enforcement.
“Our partnership with Thrive Behavioral Health reflects our continued commitment to compassionate, community-focused policing. Through this mobile crisis initiative, officers will be able to connect individuals in crisis with behavioral health professionals using MyCare provided tablets, improving access to timely care while reinforcing our goal of connecting people to services, not just enforcement, whenever possible,” said Colonial Michael Lima of the Warwick Police Department.
The MyCare rollout will begin in Warwick in early 2026. Thrive and Warwick PD will evaluate the pilot’s impact before considering expansion.