Minneapolis starts mental health responders pilot program

Via AP News, December 2021

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minneapolis began a pilot program on Monday that would send unarmed mental health professionals to residents who call 911 about behavioral or mental-health related crises.

The behavioral crisis response teams — which aim to provide counseling, crisis intervention and connection to support services — will be staffed by professionals from Canopy Mental Health & Consulting. The company was awarded a two-year, $6 million contract by the city’s Office of Performance and Innovation in July, the Star Tribune reported.

The teams are funded by money originally allocated to the Minneapolis Police Department, which was diverted by the City Council’s 2020 Safety for All plan to fund alternative public safety programs. The program was intended to be launched in August but was slow to start due to delays in trainings and background checks, among other things.

The teams won’t respond to incidents concerning firearms or other violent behavior, and 911 dispatchers will determine which incidents would require the unarmed teams, authorities said. Police officers will only be involved if the teams request their support or the dispatcher determines a scene needs to be cleared.

The program has two mobile units of two mental health professionals each that will operate Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to midnight. The city is continuing to hire responders to eventually make the service available 24 hours a day.