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Council approves participation in San Gabriel Valley co‑response mental‑health pilot funded by Prop 47
Summary
Caitlin Sims of the San Gabriel Valley COG briefed the council on a co‑response pilot pairing peer support specialists with law enforcement for mental‑health crises, funded by Prop 47 grant dollars through 2029; council approved participation and asked about referrals, data collection and program sustainability.
Caitlin Sims, director of regional planning and programs at the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments, presented an SGV co‑response program that pairs peer support specialists with law enforcement to respond to mental‑health crises and provide ongoing supportive services.
Sims described a two‑person crisis team (peer support specialists with mental‑health expertise) that stabilizes situations and connects clients to longer‑term case management, workforce services and treatment. The program, she said, is a pilot funded by savings associated with Proposition 47 and will be supported through the grant funding horizon (staff noted the grant funding source will run through 2029).
Councilmembers asked how calls would be routed (911 vs. nonemergency lines) and how the sheriff’s department and code enforcement would integrate with the teams. Sims said cities have used multiple pathways—nonemergency lines, officer referrals in situ, or a 911 triage that leads to co‑response depending on the case—and stressed that local coordination determines the operational model.
On data, Sims said the program will collect call types, client connections to services, and short‑term outcomes relevant to recidivism for grant reporting. She also confirmed the crisis responders are unarmed and operate alongside, not as replacements for, law enforcement.
After discussion of sustainability, referrals and measurable metrics, the council authorized the city to participate in the program; the motion passed unanimously.
