About This Project

Replace police as first responders for mental health crises with dedicated mental health crisis teams — pairs of mental health clinicians and peer support specialists available 24/7 via a separate emergency line. Evidence from Denver's STAR program (0 arrests in 2,400+ mental health responses), Eugene Oregon's CAHOOTS (17% of 911 calls diverted since 1989), and Toronto's MHAT pilot shows this is safe, effective, and preferred by people in crisis. Scale this globally: every municipality above 50,000 population funds dedicated mental health response teams. Long-term: integrates with community mental health centers, reducing emergency department burden and incarceration for mental illness.

Timeline