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DeSoto care team expands evening coverage with Parkland partnership; staff reports growing usage
Summary
Interim care-team manager Kimberly Bonner reported the direct-crisis-response team (revamped October 2025) has handled 120 clients and 889 contacts from Oct–Mar, is partnering with Parkland to extend evening coverage, and plans vehicle deployment and full evening integration by early May.
Interim Care Team Manager Kimberly Bonner told council the DeSoto care team moved to a direct crisis response model in October 2025 and has since been integrated into the regional dispatch (SWRCC) and police workflows. From Oct. 1–Mar. 31 the team recorded 120 clients and 889 contacts (an average of 7.4 contacts per client) and reported 24 assisted unhoused individuals. “This demonstrates steady utilization of the program and a continued need for behavioral health, crisis response, and supportive services,” Bonner said.
Bonner described a Parkland Hospital partnership approved in January 2026 that will provide evening staffing (licensed-clinical social worker and paramedic) to extend response hours toward midnight Monday–Friday. Staff are onboarding Parkland personnel and expect vehicle modifications and evening-team deployment in the coming weeks; Bonner said the program has already documented 38 officer-hours saved since tracking began in February. Council praised the partnership and encouraged staff to pursue county and regional funding opportunities to sustain and expand the model.
Why it matters: the care team diverts noncriminal crisis responses from police and emergency services, connects residents to housing and behavioral-health services, and may reduce patrol time spent on social-service cases. Parkland staffing and expanded hours are intended to increase capacity and timeliness of response.
