Unarmed mental health professionals assisted more than 3,300 cases in Minneapolis during the first six months of a pilot program aimed at reducing the need for police and ambulance services for people experiencing a mental health crisis. responded to the 911 call.
Important reasons: Proponents of the program, which launched in December, say mental health professionals are better equipped to help people in certain situations.
Usage: City contractor Canopy Mental Health & Consulting is sending a small team of vans to assist those experiencing a mental health crisis. Persons receiving assistance must be unarmed, non-violent and not suffering from a medical emergency.
environment: The City responds to approximately 175,000 911 calls annually. Behavioral health response teams are taking a small but increasing proportion of them.
Zoom in: In one recent instance, a responder helped a woman after her husband dialed 911, telling her she was suicidal and declined medical appointments.
- Responders helped schedule doctor visits and create a safety plan, and no ambulance was needed.
What they say: Canopy’s program manager, Canopy Hanson, said at a committee meeting that no staff members were harmed while on the job.
Future plans: The program was expanded in April, but there is still a shortage of Saturday and Sunday evening staff.
- Responders showed up more than 350 times in three months, and people at risk were already gone. City officials said this could indicate that they were not getting to the scene quickly enough due to a shortage of personnel.
Line spacing: The team currently has 21 staff, and Hanson is looking to add more. She said candidates are having trouble recruiting because they have questions about the city government’s structure and commitment to the program.
- Public Health and Safety Commissioner Latrisha Beto (District 4) told Hanson, “I’m not speaking on behalf of anyone else, but we are all committed to making sure that our residents have access to this service. I believe that I am doing my best to make
By numbers: Canopy is working on a two-year, $6 million contract with the city, representing about 1% of the Minneapolis Police Department’s $196 million annual budget.
Mayor Jacob Frey recommends expanding the program to 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Proposed budget for 2023-2024.
