Behavioral Health Providers

These funds will support contracts with third party agencies for the provision of mental health services. To date, $2.3M in SLFRF funds have been obligated pursuant to a contract with Behavioral Health Response to expand a 911 diversion program called Cops and Clinicians. Cops and Clinicians deploys a licensed clinical social worker with a police officer in order to provide immediate mental health services, connect individuals to the appropriate social services, and reduce the need for police and EMS response. Through a partnership with Mastercard, the city analyzed results and impact of the program’s first eight months of operations. The analysis estimated that the Cops and Clinicians teams had responded to nearly 5,000 cases, and that 95% of individuals in crisis had been diverted from arrest and connected to services. Additionally, Mastercard estimates that the program has saved the police department and EMS more than 2,000 work hours to help them respond to other priorities, saving the city an estimated $2.2 million. A future RFP may seek to build a civilian responder unit designed to divert additional calls for clinical help away from the police department. Another future RFP may seek to provide mental health services at city recreation centers and libraries or through a mental health app, to city residents and employees in order to address trauma before it escalates into violent outcomes.