The Ad Hoc Committee on Unarmed Crisis Prevention, Intervention, and Community Services convened on April 8, 2025, in Los Angeles City to discuss the progress and future of the Alternative Crisis Response (ACR) Unit. The meeting featured key representatives from the Department of Mental Health (DMH), including Ruben Wilson, head of the ACR unit, and Ilan Schulz, chief of policy and strategy.

Wilson opened the session by highlighting the critical need for a system that diverts mental health crisis calls away from law enforcement. He noted the alarming rise in 911 calls related to mental health issues and the corresponding increase in officer-involved shootings involving individuals in behavioral health crises. Wilson emphasized the importance of building a comprehensive, 24/7 crisis response system that leverages DMH's expertise to provide timely and effective support.

The ACR initiative, officially launched in 2022, aims to establish a countywide operation capable of responding to mental health crises without police involvement. Wilson reported that the program has expanded significantly over the past two years, doubling the number of field operation teams and enhancing the availability of crisis response resources.

The meeting detailed the four components of the crisis response continuum: access to crisis services via the 988 helpline, deployment of crisis response teams, availability of psychiatric urgent care centers, and follow-up care to ensure long-term support. Wilson noted that the 988 system, which operates 24/7, has been instrumental in connecting individuals in crisis with appropriate resources. The LAPD has been diverting mental health-related calls to the 988 system since 2021, allowing for a more specialized response.

Statistics shared during the meeting indicated a 20-25% increase in calls to the 988 helpline over the past year, with field intervention teams dispatched to over 21,000 calls—a 35% increase from the previous year. The meeting also highlighted the importance of psychiatric urgent care centers, which provide short-term stabilization for individuals in crisis.

Wilson underscored the need for continued collaboration with law enforcement to enhance the effectiveness of the ACR program. He acknowledged that while the LAPD has made strides in diverting calls to the 988 system, there remains a need for greater comfort among police service representatives in transferring mental health-related calls.

In conclusion, the meeting reinforced the commitment of the ACR unit to provide compassionate and effective mental health crisis intervention, aiming to reduce reliance on law enforcement and improve outcomes for individuals in crisis. The committee plans to continue monitoring the program's progress and explore further enhancements to the crisis response system in Los Angeles County.