Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Mental Health topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
San Francisco expands nonpolice Street Crisis Response teams as part of Mental Health SF rollout
Summary
The Health Commission heard details of the new street crisis response teams: multidisciplinary units (paramedic + behavioral clinician + peer worker) that have diverted hundreds of 911 mental-health calls from police, resolved most on scene, and will scale toward citywide coverage.
San Francisco officials described progress on the Street Crisis Response Team and broader Mental Health SF system during the July 6 Health Commission meeting, framing the teams as a health-centered alternative to law-enforcement responses for nonviolent behavioral-health crises.
Dr. Angelica Almeida said the teams respond primarily to 911 “800B” calls coded for persons in mental distress where there is no active violence or weapon. Each three-person team pairs a San Francisco Fire Department vehicle and community paramedic with a behavioral-health clinician (provided by a community-based partner) and a peer health worker. The model emphasizes therapeutic de-escalation, voluntary transport to appropriate care, and follow-up through the Office of Coordinated Care.
Early outcomes: the city reported roughly 1,500 calls responded to through May, with about 857 direct contacts. Of those contacts, 59% were resolved on scene and the person remained in the community; 17% required transport to a hospital; 7% were placed on an involuntary hold; and 17% were transported to other social or behavioral-health settings (shelter, detox, urgent care). Teams carry naloxone and have intervened in overdose reversals.
Why it matters: Officials said the program reduces unnecessary law-enforcement encounters and emergency-room visits, and prioritizes culturally informed, community-rooted responses. The teams are staffed with clinicians and peers from community organizations (HealthRight360 and RAMS were named), a deliberate design intended to improve community trust and cultural responsiveness.
Equity and data: Almeida acknowledged data gaps in early implementation — about 44% of contacts lacked recorded race/ethnicity data — and said the Office of Coordinated Care will follow up to improve records and measure outcomes by demographic groups. Evaluations are underway, including an external study supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to stratify outcomes by demographics.
Scaling: Five teams are operational with 12-hour daily coverage across targeted neighborhoods; the department aims to add additional teams for overnight coverage and to reach full staffing in the current budget cycle. Officials stressed ongoing community engagement to allow people who are reluctant to call 911 to have an alternative connection to care.
What’s next: DPH will continue to expand teams, finalize dispatch alternatives to 911 where feasible, and report evaluation results to the commission as they become available.
