Community Wellness and Crisis Response Team (CWCRT) Pilot Program
National events have highlighted community needs related to individuals experiencing a behavioral health crisis. During Redwood City’s community engagement regarding racial equity and policing in 2020, many residents called upon the City to consider alternative service delivery models, particularly related to calls involving individuals experiencing a mental health crisis.
In response, on Monday, January 25, the City Council approved (Council members Aguirre, Gee, Reddy and Smith, Vice-Mayor Hale and Mayor Howard in favor; Councilmember Espinoza-Garnica abstaining) a two-year agreement in partnership with the cities of Daly City, San Mateo, South San Francisco and the County of San Mateo through Behavioral Health and Recovery Services (BHRS), to form a mental health partnership crisis response program. The City Council also directed the City Manager to return to the County and partner cities to request increased funding to support a 24/7 model and directed that the goals of the Pilot Program be reviewed through the Equity and Social Justice Sub Committee (once formed) for input by both the Sub Committee and the community.
What is the Community Wellness and Crisis Response Team (CWCRT) Pilot Program?
The CWCRT program is a partnership between the police departments of the cities of Daly City, San Mateo, South San Francisco, and Redwood City, and the County of San Mateo, Behavioral Health and Recovery Services (BHRS). It was created to optimally respond to individuals experiencing a behavioral health crisis. This collaboration is designed to increase the ability to directly respond to community members in a mental health crisis; enhance response times for those in need of mental health services and resources; and create a broader and more effective continuum of care for individuals and families undergoing a crisis.
How did the Community Wellness and Crisis Response Team (CWCRT) Pilot Program come to be?
The City Council’s Ad Hoc Committee on Policing recommended participation in the Pilot Program at the October 5, 2020 study session on Racial Equity, City Services and Policing, and on October 26, 2020, the City Council approved staff’s recommendation to allocate $200,000 for Fiscal Year 2020–21 to fund a Pilot Program in partnership with San Mateo County and other cities. Based on this direction, staff worked with partner agencies to develop the Community Wellness and Crisis Response Team (CWCRT), a pilot program with San Mateo County Behavioral Health to partner mental health clinicians with police officers responding to crisis calls.
Linking persons with mental health diagnoses to the justice system is often ineffective, inefficient and would be more appropriately resolved through the behavioral health care system.
Historically, due to a lack of behavioral health resources and services on an around the clock basis, law enforcement personnel were tasked as first responders to individuals experiencing such a crisis. This deficit in resources has limited the level and quality of care that a person in crisis receives and can further strain the relationship between law enforcement and the community.
In an effort to better align care for individuals and the community, this collaborative approach builds capacity and strengthens relationships between the community, law enforcement and mental health professionals.
How will the Community Wellness and Crisis Response Team (CWCRT) Pilot Program work?
The CWCRT program will embed a mental health clinician within the Redwood City Police Department, utilizing historical data to determine an appropriate work schedule. The clinician will partner with officers and related service providers to expand the capacity to respond via a co-response model of law enforcement and mental health clinicians. The response model calls for the clinician to respond in tandem with Redwood City police officers to incidents where a mental health crisis is occurring. Once the scene is safe, a determination will be made regarding the commission of crime. For non-criminal matters, the law enforcement presence will be minimized and the clinician will assume responsibility for the individual in crisis.
The clinician will assess client needs, ensure appropriate action is taken and connect the individual with the appropriate service providers.
For incidents involving criminal matters, law enforcement personnel will maintain responsibility, but will collaborate with the clinician to determine the optimal outcome. In addition to responding to calls for service, the clinician will also provide on-going training to Redwood City Police Department personnel in the area of behavioral health, crisis response, and de-escalation.
How will the effectiveness of the Community Wellness and Crisis Response Team (CWCRT) Pilot Program work be assessed?
Recognizing the importance of having an independent assessment of program effectiveness, Redwood City staff encouraged partner agencies to work with the John Gardner Center for Youth and their Communities at Stanford University to establish research measures and report on program effectiveness. The Gardner Center will conduct regular data analysis to determine the program’s effectiveness, assess outcomes, and consider appropriate adjustments. The data and corresponding analysis will be shared both publicly and with the parties to facilitate informed decision making about the program’s continuation.
The CWCRT Program will measure and report regularly on its effectiveness in achieving identified outcomes, including residential stability, improved mental health, reduced use of acute and emergency services, and reduced contacts with the criminal justice system.
What are the goals of the Community Wellness and Crisis Response Team (CWCRT) Pilot Program?
Goal 1: Law enforcement staff and mental health clinicians will respond together to active crisis situations where a mental health crisis is a factor.
Goal 2: Improve outcomes for individuals experiencing a crisis due to mental illness or suspected mental illness.
Goal 3: Increase access to appropriate behavioral health resources.
Goal 4: Mental health clinicians will provide clinical consultation, training, and support to law enforcement personnel in the field.
Goal 5: Mental health clinicians will increase knowledge of mental health conditions and effective intervention strategies among law enforcement personnel.
Goal 6: Law enforcement will strengthen relationships with service providers and community.
How much will it Community Wellness and Crisis Response Team (CWCRT) Pilot Program cost?
Per the City Council’s direction, City staff will return to the County and partner cities to request increased funding to support a 24/7 model; however, as currently scoped, the County and Cities will share the total program costs, which amount to $615,492 in FY 2021/22, and $633,956 in FY 2022/23. The County will pay for half of these costs, and each individual City will pay for one-quarter of the remaining cost (or one-eighth of the total program cost). This results in the City of Redwood City paying $76,937 in FY 21/22, and $79,245 in FY 22/23. This cost is shown below in Figure 1, with cost-of-living adjustments resulting in higher costs for year 2 when compared to year 1.
The County will fully cover the personnel cost, and then bill Redwood City for the City’s portion of the cost. City funding will come from the General Fund and will be included in the proposed fiscal year 2021- 2022 City budget. Funding for the portion of the program that occurs within fiscal year 2020–2021 was provided with the Revised Budget approved on October 25, 2020.
How many calls for service connected to mental illness are there in Redwood City?
Annually the Redwood City Police Department responds to approximately 315 calls for service which involve someone with a connection to mental illness.
Creation of a City Council Equity and Social Justice Sub-Committee and a Police Advisory Committee
The City Council deferred consideration of the creation of a City Council Equity and Social Justice Sub-Committee and a Police Advisory Committee to a future City Council meeting.
For More Information
The Community Wellness and Crisis Response Team (CWCRT) Pilot Program staff report can be viewed here (Agenda Item 7.A). To view the video recording of the City Council meeting, click here.
Click here to read the full Joint Press Release.
