Grand Rapids Police Department Mental Health Crisis Co-Response Pilot Program

Expanded Mental Health Co-Response
The Mobile Crisis Response (MCR) team launched in January 2021 as a county-wide pilot program to improve police response to calls involving mental health or substance abuse crises. The MCR pilot has been successful, however, an expanded co-response model is necessary to meet the needs of residents more effectively. Due to the dynamic and time-sensitive nature of mental health crises, for cases requiring co-response, the immediate dispatch of both CIT officers and Network180 clinicians will produce more effective and efficient outcomes. In order to accomplish this model, the Network180 clinicians must be dedicated solely to the program. Currently, MCR clinicians arrive on-site when available, and split their time among other responsibilities.
 
Modifying the pilot program to a co-response model is expected to have a number of benefits. The co-response will allow CIT officers and clinicians to draw upon their combined expertise and establish safety and care in a dynamic environment. Having a dedicated team at both agencies will exponentially increase both officer and clinician expertise, as they will be able to learn from each other in real-time and establish positive professional relationships.  Immediate access to mental health services will also allow officers to stay on patrol, or return more quickly, when responding to cases involving a mental health crisis. This ensures officers are able to spend more time providing community safety services more efficiently.

The Mental Health Crisis Co-Response Program expansion will be implemented through a subaward agreement with Network180. The City of Grand Rapids, through this grant, will subaward $162,000 to Network180 to devote a two-person team to responding to crisis intervention calls, primarily in the city of Grand Rapids, Michigan. A total of $18,000 will be retained by the City of Grand Rapids Community Development Department (CDD) for grant administration. 

Specific performance outcomes outlined in the agreement with Network180 are anticipated to include, but are not limited to, the following:

Number of calls for service
Number of on-site team deployments
Number of calls addressed via phone consultation
Number of persons connected to mental health services and substance use resources
Diversions from Emergency Department
Diversions from Jail