Mental Health

A mental health crisis occurs when a person’s emotional, mental, physical, or behavioral response to stress, trauma, or a difficult situation becomes overwhelming and normal coping strategies are no longer effective. A crisis can happen to anyone, regardless of whether they have a previous mental health diagnosis.

Signs of a mental health crisis may include:

Emotional or psychological signs

• Intense fear, anger, sadness, anxiety, or emotional distress.
• Confusion, disorientation, or difficulty focusing.
• Rapid, fragmented, or disconnected thoughts.
• Nightmares, paranoia, delusions, or hallucinations.
• Statements about wanting to harm oneself or others.

Physical signs

• Headaches, dizziness, nausea, or stomach discomfort.
• Extreme fatigue or inability to sleep.
• Shaking, restlessness, or other physical signs of distress.

Behavioral signs

• Pacing, walking in circles, or appearing unable to follow simple instructions.
• Talking to oneself or responding to people or voices that are not present.
• Guarded body language, withdrawal, or fearfulness.
• Anger, irritability, or unresponsiveness when spoken to.
• Inappropriate or unusually aggressive behavior for the situation.
• Strong and persistent fear of people, places, or things.
• Difficulty adjusting to new, unexpected, or stressful circumstances.

These signs do not always mean a person has a mental illness, but they may indicate that the person is in crisis and may need support, resources, or emergency assistance depending on the situation.

The City of Mesa collaborates with behavioral health providers and community partners to help connect individuals experiencing a mental health crisis with appropriate support and resources. The goal is to reduce repeat crisis-related calls for service, improve safety, and support better outcomes for individuals and families.

The Mesa Police Department works closely with local mental health professionals and uses established protocols to guide responses involving individuals who may be experiencing mental illness or crisis. When reasonable, practical, and consistent with safety priorities, officers use specialized training, communication strategies, and available resources to safely de-escalate situations and connect individuals to appropriate care.

Mesa uses a coordinated response model to help connect individuals experiencing a mental health crisis with the most appropriate support. When a call comes into 9-1-1, public safety dispatchers assess the situation and determine whether police, fire/medical, behavioral health resources, or a combination of services may be needed. When appropriate, calls may be connected with Solari or other crisis resources to help individuals receive support without requiring a traditional public safety response.

Mesa also works with dedicated mental health crisis teams that include behavioral health professionals and emergency medical support. These teams may respond to situations involving suicidal thoughts without immediate danger, depression, anxiety, substance use, family concerns, social service needs, or dementia and elder-related issues. This model helps connect residents to care while keeping police and fire resources available for emergencies.

Mesa Police officers receive Crisis Intervention Team training to help recognize signs of mental illness or crisis, use de-escalation strategies, and connect individuals to appropriate services when possible. The Department’s Mental Health Support Team, which consists of specially trained detectives and mental health clinicians provide additional support by serving mental health detainers, coordinating with community behavioral health providers, assisting individuals with recurring crisis needs, and supporting mental health training for officers.

The Mesa Police Department may become involved when a person appears to be experiencing a mental health crisis and their behavior may meet legal criteria for further evaluation or treatment. These situations are guided by Arizona law, Mesa Police Department policy, and the facts known to officers at the time of the response.

In these cases, officers assess whether the person’s behavior may present a serious safety concern to themselves or others. Mesa PD officers use established protocols, de-escalation strategies, and available behavioral health resources to determine the most appropriate response.

When legally appropriate, a mental health petition or detainer can help connect the individual with behavioral health professionals for evaluation, care, and support. The Department’s goal is to resolve these situations safely, compassionately, and in a manner that supports both the individual and the community.

2025 Statistics

• Over 57.8 million adults (22.8%) experience some form of mental illness
• 14.1 million (5.5%) suffer from a serious mental illness (SMI) that severely disrupts daily functioning
• 25.70% of adults in Arizona reported experiencing any mental illness in the past year (2025).

The graph below shows the progress of of Mesa’s implementation of Mental Health strategies from 2014 to 2023.

• “Suicide” - includes threats, attempts, and committed
• “Mental Health Detainers”-includes voluntary and involuntary petitions for committal
• “Mental Health Related" - includes any call which involves only mental illness
• “Total Calls for Service”- all calls for service involving mental illness