First Call for Help seeks responders as Cook County mobile crisis services transition

The Minnesota Department of Human Services has approved a contract for First Call for Help to become the provider of record for mobile crisis response services in Cook County, taking over services previously provided by the county.

As First Call for Help assumes responsibility for the program, the organization is looking to hire part-time responders who can travel to residents experiencing mental health crises, provide support and connect them with resources.

“We really encourage anybody that feels like they have skills or have had experience enough that they want to be a part of this build in Cook County to apply,” Cre Larson, executive director of First Call for Help, told WTIP.

First Call for Help has already hired three responders and hopes to hire a total of 12.

Larson said candidates must meet qualifications as behavioral health or mental health practitioners, including 2,000 hours of fieldwork. Relevant experience could include grief or marriage counseling. Larson said pastors and other faith leaders may also be good candidates for the positions.

Mobile responders are dispatched through First Call for Help’s call center. After a call is answered and assessed, a responder travels to meet with the person experiencing a crisis, providing support and helping identify strategies and resources to address the situation.

The team then follows up with individuals to ensure they receive continued support after accessing other services, such as hospitalization or behavioral health treatment.

First Call for Help provides mobile crisis response services free of charge.

The organization has worked with stakeholders throughout Cook County to identify potential challenges in providing services across the region.

To address limited cellphone reception, First Call for Help is acquiring radios to maintain communication with responders in remote areas. The organization also hopes to position responders throughout the county to improve response times, particularly during inclement weather.

“I think the challenges that they brought forward were pretty familiar to us, and I felt comfortable with some of the challenges that we’ve had to rise above,” Larson said.

Although recruiting enough qualified responders presents another challenge, Larson expressed confidence in the county’s ability to meet the program’s staffing needs.

“This county is full of people of passion and full of people that are problem solvers. I think it has a lot to do with just the flavor of the environment and the remoteness. People solve problems in Cook County, and so I think it’s a county full of people with passion to help others, and people who have a mission to make sure that their communities, their needs are met and their families are healthy,” Larson said.

First Call for Help has also developed contingency plans if it cannot fill all 12 positions. Those options include temporarily relocating team members to Cook County and continuing telehealth support, which the county currently offers.

WTIP spoke with Larson about First Call for Help and its transition to providing mobile crisis response services in Cook County. Audio of that conversation is available below.

Josh Hinke October 13, 2026