MASON CITY — A North Iowa behavioral health crisis response program is set to expand to around-the-clock service after 43 North Iowa was awarded funding through the Iowa Health and Human Services Opioid Settlement Grant Program.
43 North Iowa announced the grant will allow its Community Crisis Response Team, or CCRT, to grow into a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week service for people in North Iowa experiencing mental health or substance use crises.
The expanded service will begin after additional crisis responders are hired, onboarded and trained.
The CCRT was developed through years of planning among behavioral health providers, police, fire and EMS agencies, public health officials, health care organizations, local government and community leaders. Since launching in October 2025, the team has become part of the area’s emergency response system, working alongside Prairie Ridge Integrated Behavioral Healthcare, Mason City Police Department, Mason City Fire Department and EMS, Cerro Gordo Public Health, MercyOne North Iowa Medical Center, Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Office, the City of Mason City and other partners.
The program also recently expanded full CCRT response into Clear Lake through a partnership with the Clear Lake Police Department.
John Derryberry of 43 North Iowa said the program reflects a community-wide effort rather than the work of one agency.
“The CCRT has never been about one organization,” Derryberry said. “It’s about a community choosing to solve problems together. Every partner has brought their expertise, listened to one another, and stayed focused on one goal: making sure people experiencing a crisis receive the right help at the right time.”
The team is described as the community’s “fourth response option,” adding trained behavioral health professionals to the traditional police, fire and ambulance response system. The goal is to de-escalate crises, stabilize people in the least restrictive setting possible and connect them with longer-term services.
Those services may include crisis stabilization, detoxification, medication-assisted treatment, outpatient behavioral health care, housing support and other community resources.
In its first nine months of operation, the CCRT served more than 200 people and averaged a response time of about nine minutes. Program data also showed the team could have responded to more than 100 additional calls if overnight coverage had been available, according to 43 North Iowa.
Karen Crimmings, Deputy Director of Cerro Gordo Public Health, said the collaboration is already making a difference.
“It’s been inspiring to see how our partner agencies are working together to make a meaningful difference for people experiencing a crisis,” Crimmings said. “This collaboration is helping individuals access the support they need more quickly and creating stronger outcomes for our community.”
The Iowa HHS Opioid Settlement funding builds on local support already provided by Cerro Gordo Public Health, Prairie Ridge Integrated Behavioral Healthcare, local foundations, municipalities and other community partners.
Opioid settlement funds come from nationwide legal settlements with companies involved in the opioid crisis. States and local governments have been using portions of those funds for prevention, treatment, recovery services, crisis response and related behavioral health needs.
Derryberry said expanding the North Iowa team to 24/7 coverage will make help more available when crises happen outside regular hours.
“We’re grateful to the State of Iowa and to every partner who believed in this model from the beginning,” Derryberry said. “Expanding to 24/7 coverage means that no matter when someone reaches a crisis, there’s a better chance they’ll be met with compassion, support, and a path forward. That’s the kind of community we’re proud to be building together.”
43 North Iowa said the value of the program has also been recognized by front-line emergency responders. One Mason City police officer described CCRT as “a godsend” and “the best service we’ve ever had.”
Recruitment for additional Community Crisis Response staff will begin immediately.
For more information about the Community Crisis Response Team or employment opportunities, visit www.43northiowa.org or call 641-424-8708.
Great news. Hope it works well.