CLEVELAND -- Approximately one of every four people killed in an interaction with law enforcement during a six-year period studied by The Washington Post was “in the throes of a mental health crisis” at the time of the shooting per police accounts, the Post found. Countless families have endured unthinkable tragedies — tragedies that could have been prevented with a different kind of response to mental health emergencies. This is a problem in cities across the country, but it’s one here in Cleveland, too.
As many officers will agree, police are being asked to do jobs they were never intended to do, like supporting unhoused people and those living with mental illness. When there is not a risk of harm, not only are we stretching law enforcement thin, but the mere presence of a weapon can escalate the situation.
If you have a heart attack, you’re met by an ambulance and unarmed, trained medical professionals. Why do we ask armed officers to meet those experiencing mental health emergencies? Why are mental health emergencies the one type of health emergency that is treated criminally rather than medically?
Nationwide, more communities are acknowledging that mental health emergencies need to be treated by mental health providers, not law enforcement. In Cuyahoga County, we have the opportunity to join the cities and counties that are safely and effectively making this shift by taking a health-first approach to mental health emergency response — a “care response.”
This approach will prioritize the health and safety of the person experiencing the mental health emergency by establishing a separate non-911 number and by sending unarmed mental health providers to respond to emergency calls, except in rare exceptions. These mental health providers would be trained to connect those in need with the necessary resources to support their urgent needs in-the-moment, such as medical care or shelter.
Crucially, the care response model requires that we include people with lived experience and reflect their perspectives. This includes ensuring racial equity within the care team that is dispatched and incorporating peer input while developing robust training for nonpolice dispatchers and care teams.
The Alcohol, Drug Addiction & Mental Health Services (ADAMHS) Board of Cuyahoga County is working to develop a system of community-based mental health services in our county and is dedicated to creating a continuum of responses for people who may experience mental health emergencies. This May, the Cuyahoga County Diversion Center opened its doors to provide an alternative to incarceration for people living with mental illness involved in an interaction with law enforcement.
We applaud the ADAMHS Board’s efforts to advocate for and explore how to launch a care response program that addresses this issue on the front end to prevent potentially dangerous interactions. We know that this is an investment in safety that will pay off long term.
Alternate models are gaining popularity as safe and effective ways to provide the appropriate health and social service response to those living with mental illness and experiencing crisis. During a six-month trial last year for Denver’s Support Team Assistance Response (STAR) program, it received more than 2,500 STAR-eligible emergency calls, none of which required the assistance of police or resulted in arrest. In Eugene, Oregon, Crisis Assistance Helping Out on the Streets (CAHOOTS) has operated for 30 years and employs unarmed social workers and medics to support people experiencing mental health emergencies, while relying on police intervention as backup in barely more than 1% of interactions. This not only offers immediate support to the person in crisis, but it redirects these calls away from law enforcement when they are not truly needed.
Those living with mental illness deserve to be treated with dignity, empathy, and humanity, especially in the moments when they most need support. It’s time to invest in a plan to keep Cuyahoga County safe and healthy while offering care and support to those who need it most. We look forward to working with the ADAMHS Board to create a care response model for a safer Cleveland community.
Pernel Jones Jr. is president of Cuyahoga County Council. Lori D’Angelo is executive director of Magnolia Clubhouse.
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