Beginning next month, officials plan to implement a more integrated approach to delivering crisis mental health services in Allegheny County.

The new re:solve Crisis Network is a partnership of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center's Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, the Office of Behavioral Health of the county Department of Human Services, and Community Care Behavioral Health.

On July 1, the network will take over telephone crisis services from Mercy Behavioral Health, officials announced yesterday. Help will be available at a new toll-free number: 1-888-7-YOUCAN.

Persons seeking assistance can talk by phone to a trained counselor 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If requested, they also can receive a visit from mobile crisis counselors.

While mobile crisis services currently are available, the new service aims to provide a more consistent and timely response, said Patricia Valentine, deputy director of the county's Office of Behavioral Health.

In the fall, officials plan to consolidate those services with walk-in and overnight stay crisis services at a 22,000-square-foot facility being renovated at 333 N. Braddock Ave., North Point Breeze.

Plans call for the facility to have a 10-bed licensed crisis residential unit for adults and a separate section for up to four children or adolescents.

The planned center already has drawn objections from some neighborhood residents, who have expressed concerns that the facility could jeopardize property values and safety. Two neighborhood meetings were held on the matter earlier this month.

Councilman Ricky Burgess, who arranged the meetings, said he didn't think the new program was "putting a burden on the community."

"These mental health resources are desperately needed in all communities," he said.

Officials are recruiting 135 employees for the new crisis network, which will include doctors, nurses, therapists, crisis counselors and support personnel.

The $12 million in anticipated first-year funding and start-up costs are being provided through the county and Community Care Behavioral Health. Some of the funding will come from the planned closure of Mayview State Hospital, Ms. Valentine said.

Western Psychiatric submitted a winning bid to provide the crisis services, she said. They will be offered to everyone regardless of age, ability to pay or prior use of behavioral health care.

One feature of the new program, Ms. Valentine said, will be crisis aides who can stay with patients or their family members for up to 24 hours after a crisis to provide support and education.

Yesterday's announcement followed the disclosure last week that state mental health officials plan to meet with representatives from the county and Western Psychiatric to discuss the state's latest investigation of serious incidents involving local residents receiving community mental health services.

Officials said Western Psychiatric provided services to the subject of the most recent probe, a man arrested in a Pittsburgh death. The investigation was opened one day after Shadyside resident Terrence Andrews was arrested for the stabbing death last month of 18-year-old Lisa Maas.

Mr. Andrews, 38, told police he had been hospitalized repeatedly at Western Psychiatric and that "the medication wasn't working." He said he had informed his doctors repeatedly that "he was thinking about killing someone."

Ms. Valentine said yesterday that the new network likely would not have helped. She said crisis services and other sources of aid already are available for patients who wish to turn to them.