[Crisis centers and mental health services: the experiences in south west Montreal]

Based on data collected during the assessment phase of setting up the crisis centre L'Autre Maison, this article aims to present the services offered by the centre and to examine its integration with other resources within the community. Secondly, the article proceeds with a detailed analysis of the nature of crises that motivated clients to resort to the centre, which allows the authors to confirm the essentially social nature of these crises. Following a presentation of the results, the authors enter a broader discussion on: 1) the training received by personnel that works in the area of crisis intervention; 2) the organization of mental health services; and 3) the prevention programs focused on avoiding the oncoming of a crisis.