Safer Cities provides coverage and analysis on innovative efforts to deliver more safety for our cities and our country.

Sobering Centers Reduce Strain On Emergency Rooms, Free Police Time, And Expand Treatment Access. A new report published by California Health Care Foundation synthesizes field practice, statewide policy changes, and the emerging national accreditation standards for sobering centers—places where publicly intoxicated people can rest, get sober and get connected to addiction treatment and other services, instead of going to an emergency room or jail. The researchers detail the “practical tools, financial planning resources, and real-world examples” of working sobering centers, as well as “the fundamentals of sobering care and essential planning considerations” for local leaders interested in implementing sobering centers in their jurisdictions. The report’s authors find that sobering centers offer a “safe, short-term alternative to emergency departments (EDs) and jails” and function as a “24/7 hub for service connection and integration.”

In Louisville, Kentucky, “New Report Shows Decrease In Shootings, Homicides,” Mayor Credits Hospital-Based Violence Intervention Program As Key. For WHAS11, Margaret Vancampen reports on Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg’s announcement that “shootings and homicides are down in the Metro by between 25% to 30%” and that “Pivot to Peace,” the city’s community and hospital-based violence intervention program that the mayor said has “led to a noticeable decrease in violence in areas where the program is active.”

Momentum For Mobile Crisis Response Teams Across The Country.