The City Says These Dedicated Teams Will Ultimately Have Authority to Independently Handle Service Calls
By Zach Armstrong
While responding to mental health emergencies, SMPD and Fire personnel will now have the assistance of behavioral health specialists under a new pilot program which launched earlier this month.
The program, in partnership with the L.A. Department of Mental Health, is part of an effort the City describes as a way to provide a “coordinated, holistic approach” to addressing homelessness. Additionally, the project aims to enhance assistance to individuals such as teenagers with suicidal thoughts or seniors experiencing dementia.
First responders will have access to a specialized therapeutic transport team five days a week under the project while undergoing team training and integration. Those teams, consisting of a peer support specialist and a clinical social worker, can perform multiple functions such as psychiatric transportation to facilities or imposing psychiatric hospitalizations for a person deemed a threat.
With the goal of creating more tailored behavioral health responses and giving first responders more time to focus on emergency situations, the City says these dedicated teams will ultimately have authority to independently handle service calls. The program also seeks to expand citywide with 24/7 service after initially focusing on downtown.
“Santa Monica’s therapeutic transport program launching this week demonstrates the power of Measure H and Los Angeles County’s emergency declaration for homelessness — a declaration also made by the city of Santa Monica, which has long championed local investments to address homelessness,” said Chair of the Board of Supervisors Lindsey P. Horvath, Third District, in a statement. “Homelessness will best be solved by scaling solutions just like this one that meet people where they are with care and support from the county’s Department of Mental Health.”
Over $2 million in public funding ($464K from SM City Council to fund the program and $1.7M from L.A. County for staffing resources) was infused to create the initiative. Santa Monica is now the third jurisdiction in L.A. County to partner with DMH for new approaches on mental health responses.
