The Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation is a social safety net or a stop-gap mechanism to support the recovery of individuals and families from unexpected crisis such as illness or death of a family member, and other crisis situations.

The Crisis Intervention Unit is a special unit operating as an action center to immediately respond to cases of individuals and families in crisis situations. It provides integrated services such as immediate rescue/ and protection provision of direct financial and material assistance, augmentation during disaster and referrals for immediate medical, legal, psycho-social services.

The CIU also operates through the DSWD Social Welfare and Development Teams in the different provincial clusters in the region which accepts target clienteles categorized as either walk-in, rescued and referred clients such as Individuals and families with no adequate means to provide for medical, transportation, burial and other immediate needs,  Abandoned, abused and exploited adults and children.