What To Read This Weekend
1) Community Violence Intervention—What They’re Saying:
“President Biden will continue to do everything in his power to reduce gun violence, including by calling on Congress to increase community violence intervention funding,” said White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. “Enough is enough. Gun violence in this country is an epidemic that will not end with thoughts and prayers alone … It’s past time we turn our pain into purpose.”
“We need to fully implement a community violence intervention plan,” Louisville mayor-elect Craig Greenberg said. “We must reach out and identify those who have already gotten into a life of violent crime or are most at risk of turning to that life. And working with them to have new opportunities in life.”
“They have the ability to communicate and build relationships in a way that us, the police, we just can’t. It just is not possible,” That’s Commander Andre Parham, Chicago Police Department, praising the Institute for Non-Violence Chicago, which runs a community violence intervention program in the city.
2) Three new mobile crisis response programs launched this Fall:
“We see you. We hear you. We are responding.” In this short video, Kevin Dougherty, Dean of Students at Oregon State University, describes how the university’s new campus crisis response team—“OSU Assists”—provides the right resources to students at the right time.” Watch here.
“Stockton unveils mobile crisis intervention response pilot program.” Writing for Bay City News, Victoria Franco explains:
“The city of Stockton and Community Medical Centers unveiled the city’s first ever mobile crisis intervention response pilot program … The response team [will] aid 911 dispatchers and law enforcement during calls that deal with mental health issues or behavioral health challenges to not only manage a crisis but also provide follow-up services for people … the program will first pilot with one team comprised of a licensed clinical social worker, a case manager, a community health worker and a medical assistant, who, even after resolving the crisis, will have check-ins with the community member 48 hours, seven days and 30 days after the initial crisis … Objectives for the program include decreasing repeat callers, increasing follow-ups with wraparound services, decreasing the fear or hesitance to call police, building more community trust, decreasing costs related to 911 calls and diverting people away from the criminal justice system.”
“Marion County to create mobile crisis teams separate from police,” Ardeshir Tabrizian and Rachel Alexander report for Oregon’s Salem Reporter:
“Public officials have increasingly viewed mobile crisis response as a more effective and affordable way to handle 911 calls related to mental illness, addiction and homelessness… [That’s why Marion County officials will] create four mobile crisis response teams, each with a qualified mental health professional and a certified recovery mentor to help de-escalate people in crisis… [Marion County’s’ new program] will initially look to de-escalate situations where people are in crisis and then try to connect them with resources they need, such as rental assistance, food assistance or medication…”
3) An Update From Columbus, Ohio.
For The Columbus Dispatch, Cole Behrens writes that the city’s “911 Right Response Unit”, which deploys social workers and paramedics to mental health calls for service, “took 1,300 calls, a third of which didn't require any police response” in its first year of operation and “saved police hundreds of hours of manpower.” And here’s Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther explaining the power of the Right Response Unit:
“One of the lessons we’ve taken to heart in recent years is that we can’t simply police our way beyond the challenges we are facing … This moment requires a more holistic approach that also addresses the root causes of violence and hardship. The Right Response Unit is central to this comprehensive strategy and is making great strides in supporting our most vulnerable residents and improving community safety.”
