Select Assessment Tool

A jurisdiction in its EXPLORATION phase is considering or examining ways to expand responses to calls for service for community members in crisis or distress. Community members or elected officials may also be interested in solutions to reduce the jurisdiction’s overreliance on traditional first responders (such as police officers or fire department/emergency medical services [EMS] personnel) to handle behavioral health crises and social disturbances.

Actions taken by a community during the EXPLORATION phase can include:

• An elected official and/or local community group is organizing to consider starting a community responder program but does not yet have dedicated funding.
• Hosting community work groups, often appointed by a local city council or mayoral office, to listen to and learn from the community and make recommendations to the elected body.
• Holding community discussions (i.e., listening and learning sessions) to better understand what community members envision or want in an expanded first response option.
• Fostering law enforcement or fire department/EMS leadership interest in diverting community members in crisis to community-based programs and services.
• Assessing available funding opportunities and facilitating conversations about future grant opportunities or other funding options. 
• Working with a community “champion” to gain support from impacted community members, residents, advocates, council members, etc. for a community responder program.

A jurisdiction in its PLANNING phase has decided that a community responder program is appropriate to meet its needs and is taking steps to eventually implement it. It should also have a designated “point person” whose job consists of relaying the information learned during community listening sessions into clear and identifiable goals for the program.

Actions taken by a community during the PLANNING phase can include:

• Holding focus groups with local businesses, social service providers, impacted community members, etc. to gather information on their response option preferences, their vision for a successful community responder program, and perceived concerns about operations.
• Developing a community responder program advisory group and hosting an initial meeting.
• Identifying the agency or organization that will oversee the community responder program.
• Conducting a survey of law enforcement members concerning the types of calls to be diverted to the community responder program, dispatch methods, and types of resources to distribute.
• Exploring partnerships for service connections.
• Conducting site visits to existing community responder programs.
• Developing a request for proposals (if using a contracted provider).

A jurisdiction in its EARLY IMPLEMENTATION phase has secured funding for its community responder program and designated a program manager working with the advisory group.

Actions taken by a community responder program manager during the EARLY IMPLEMENTATION phase can include:

• Creating concrete plans for the program’s design, call types of interest, and operations/service delivery.
• Hiring staff.
• Establishing a contract with a local behavioral health provider.
• Ordering equipment, such as vans, uniforms, rental space, radios, etc.
• Developing staff onboarding protocols, training sessions, and schedules.
• Working with communications staff on logos, websites, and communications plans.
• Attending community meetings to educate community members about the program and services.
• Cross-training with dispatch, law enforcement, EMS, and the local hospital (if appropriate).

A jurisdiction in its PILOT PROGRAM phase has a community responder program actively responding to calls for service related to mental health crises; substance or alcohol use; houselessness; suicide; welfare checks; basic needs for water, food, or clothing; and public disturbances or disagreements. However, the program has not been fully implemented with 24/7-hour operations and may not cover more than one neighborhood.

Actions taken by a community during the PILOT PROGRAM phase can include:

• Running a community responder program for a specific time period (e.g., six months or one year) focused on designated areas of the community rather than the entire geographic location (e.g., neighborhoods).
• Collecting and analyzing program data to track improved results regarding client health outcomes, decreases in reliance on traditional first response, diversion rates, hours of operation, call types, and service area geography.
• Using data to identify gaps in service delivery and opportunities for service delivery improvement.
• Communicating results of the pilot program to elected officials and community members to demonstrate the program’s effectiveness and determine next steps to establish a fully operational program.

A jurisdiction in its FULLY OPERATIONAL phase has community responder teams working in the field, post-pilot phase or at full scale. It also has plans to sustain operations beyond any temporary or grant funding that may have been used to initially get the program started.

Actions taken by community responder program staff during the FULLY OPERATIONAL phase can include:

• Dispatching teams to respond to calls for service throughout the jurisdiction.
• Making referrals and connecting clients to other local non-emergency community supports, such as shelter placement, permanent supportive housing, substance use or mental health treatment options, non-emergency medical care, and recovery supports.
• Transporting clients and connecting them to existing crisis- and community-based supports and providers.
• The program manager reporting back to advisory group members, elected officials, and the community with data and metrics used to track the program’s progress.
• Identifying and confirming long-term funding streams to ensure the program’s sustainability.