Shawnee staff are available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, 365 days per year to respond to psychiatric crises. Crisis services are provided in emergency rooms, jails, at the clinics and in the community. Staff coordinate additional care for the person in crisis when warranted, including on-going counseling, crisis stabilization at a local crisis unit, or short-term hospitalization. Shawnee is also available to help people discharged from a hospital with their follow-up for medication refills. People experiencing psychiatric distress are encouraged to walk-in to one of the clinics or call one of the clinics. If it is after hours, an answering service.

Shawnee has been designated by the Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services Board as the agency to evaluate people in psychiatric distress for admission to a state supported hospital.