2024 Durham Familiar Neighbor Initiative

The City of Durham through the Durham Police Department, lead agency, is requesting funding to plan and implement its initiative. In order to respond to Durham’s growing mental health populations needs, the City’s Police and Community Safety Departments in partnership with the County’s Justice Services Department are collaborating in the development of a Familiar Neighbors Care Team. The program will pilot a new unit of mental health professionals that will be dedicated to supporting people with mental health disorders or co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders, who have a history of frequent interactions with public safety. The team will proactively meet with people in the community to build trust, provide intensive case management and care coordination for these familiar neighbors.

If awarded this grant, funding would be used to hire one licensed clinical social worker and two certified peer support specialists, who would operate out of the City’s Community Safety Department (which provides mobile crisis response under the supervision of independently licensed clinical social workers). It will also fund training, a site visit to another familiar faces program to learn best practices, and the purchase of supplies and equipment needed for the three new positions. There are no planned conference activities for the recommended award.