Officer Joe Hoxha of Indianapolis Police Department’s North District described a clinician‑led community response team operating alongside IPD dispatchers to respond to certain mental‑health crises without an immediate law‑enforcement presence.

"The clinician‑led community response team is a non law enforcement response to a mental health crisis," Officer Hoxha said, explaining that clinicians from Stepping Stones Therapy Center respond when dispatch‑triage indicates there is no immediate threat of violence or weapons.

Hoxha said callers should still dial 911 to request a clinician response because dispatchers will triage the scene for safety and determine whether clinicians can be dispatched without officers. When dispatchers identify potential danger, officers are still sent.

A neighborhood advocate and an IPD officer at the meeting emphasized that MCAT (Mobile Crisis Assistance Team) and the clinician‑led response are complementary: MCAT provides mobile behavioral‑health crisis response and the clinician‑led team can be dispatched via 911 when appropriate. The panel urged residents to use 911 for in‑person clinician responses rather than the national 988 line when immediate, on‑site assistance is required.

Speakers said the program aims to reduce arrests and direct people in crisis to health and social services, and they highlighted mental‑health court as an alternative for eligible cases.

Officer Hoxha and neighborhood leaders encouraged residents to use the county’s advertised dispatch channels and to ask for a clinician response during a 911 call if that is the desired service. They also noted situations in which an officer will accompany clinicians, and that clinical teams maintain radio contact with police dispatch.