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CRCL: Crisis Response, Community Led

CRCL offers vital circle of support for people in crisis.

CRCL is a mobile, community-led crisis response team that provides support to people 13 years and older who are experiencing a mental health crisis.  CRCL (pronounced circle) stands for Crisis Response, Community-Led, previously known as Peer Assisted Care Teams (PACT).   

CRCL is funded by the Province of BC, developed, and administered by the Canadian Mental Health Association, BC Division (CMHA BC) and delivered by local community- based organizations.  

CMHA BC is currently overseeing and administering the delivery of six CRCL teams in North and West Vancouver, Victoria, New Westminster, Prince George, Comox Valley, and is coming soon to Kamloops. Find CRCL in your community. 

CRCL was developed thanks to the longstanding advocacy of people with lived experience of mental health challenges, and the service has been built with the leadership and guidance of lived expertise. CRCL services are delivered by people with a combination of lived expertise and professional experience in mental health. CRCL can come to you, on your terms, to listen with understanding and compassion. 

If a mental health crisis is occurring, CRCL can dispatch a team of at least two crisis responders. CRCL Crisis Responders may be peer support workers, licensed clinical social workers, paramedics, nurses, or other staff with expertise and professional experience supporting people in crisis. 

 In addition to the skills CRCL Crisis Responders bring to the job, they receive 100+ hours of instruction and training in trauma-informed crisis intervention and de-escalation. 

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