City of Mobile Police Department's Collaborative Crisis Response Training Program

Collaborative Crisis Response Training Program
City of Mobile Abstract
The City of Mobile Alabama is invested in developing a collaborative crisis response program addressing the needs of individuals with intellectual disabilities, developmental disabilities, behavioral health disorders, or physical disabilities who requiring law enforcement intervention through the 911 system. The City of Mobile will be partnering with AltaPointe Health, Alabama’s largest regional, comprehensive, community behavioral healthcare provider, with over 1,400 clinical and non-clinical staff promoting the wellness and recovery of people living with mental illness, substance abuse, and intellectual and developmental disabilities. In the five precincts that make up the city, there are approximately 2,100 calls annually designated, prior to officer arrival, as involving a mental health concern. This does not account for those that are not labeled as such prior to officer arrival, nor those that involve developmental disabilities, intellectual disabilities, or neurocognitive disorders such as traumatic brain injury. Annual calls for Crisis Intervention and Response Team (CIRT) members should be at least 1,000 per year. Based on data from the 2018 United States Census Bureau, Mobile is the fourth most populated city in Alabama at 186,542 (48% male and 52% female) with approximately 59% Caucasian, 36% Black, 3% Hispanic, 1% Asian, and less than one percent Native American, two or more races, or other. According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, the poverty level for adults in the City of Mobile between 2013-2017 was 22.4%, qualifying Mobile for priority consideration as a “high poverty area.” The Mobile Police Department plans to implement CIRT training for officers, using the Harris County model developing a comprehensive system for response to calls for service. This model incorporates subject matter experts from the local community in mental health, developmental and intellectual disabilities, veteran’s services, peer and family experiences, and more. The inclusion of local speakers from stakeholder groups facilitates a community collaborative targeted at improving relationship between the local community and law enforcement, based on 21st Century Policing tenants. CIRT will provide specialized response for this population, diverting them from jails and emergency departments, into much needed treatment through cooperation with community partners such as AltaPointe Health. Federal funds in the amount of $149,921.00 are being requested for staff and training. The City of Mobile is a previous recipient of a justice and mental health collaborative grant award number: 2020-MO-BX-0034.
Sub-contractors: Dr. Cindy Gipson, Program Evaluation, Mobile, AL