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Council approves ordinance formalizing Community Assisted Response and Engagement operations
Summary
Council passed CB 121232 to define duties for the Community Crisis Responder Team and formalize alternative-response partnerships between public-health, care and public-safety agencies; vote was unanimous.
Councilmember Kettle, delivering the committee report, described CB 121232 as a measure to integrate alternative-response teams into the city’s broader public-safety and public-health framework. Kettle said care responders are intended to be first responders for clinical and behavioral-health crises and to provide diversion and partnership with human services.
The ordinance clarifies duties for the Community Crisis Responder Team, brings public-health partners into response planning, and aims to reduce reliance on law enforcement for noncriminal behavioral-health calls. Kettle said the bill aligns with the council’s strategic framework and will help set up organizations to succeed in the alternative-response space.
The council voted 9-0 to pass CB 121232. Supporters said the measure is a component of a comprehensive response to street crises and complements other steps the council is taking on enforcement and service provision.
