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- Crisis Response: Co-Responder, Behavioral Health, and CIT Updates to Close Out 2025
Crisis Response: Co-Responder, Behavioral Health, and CIT Updates to Close Out 2025
Communities across North America are reshaping mental health crisis response through co-responder models, behavioral health-led 911 options, and CIT programs.
As the year winds down and inboxes get quieter, I wanted to send this week’s brief a little early. With the New Year right around the corner, this edition offers a timely snapshot of how co-response, behavioral health, and crisis intervention models are evolving across North America. I hope it sparks ideas as you head into 2026.
Today’s Brief:
Co-Response Briefs
Behavioral Health Briefs
CIT Briefs
Total Read Time: 5 minutes
👮 Co-Response Briefs
The San Mateo Police Department has successfully implemented a "co-responder model" that pairs law enforcement officers with mental health clinicians to handle emergency calls involving psychiatric crises. According to a Stanford University study, this approach has led to a 17% decrease in involuntary hospital holds and saved participating cities approximately $800,000 annually in health-related costs.
Since 2022, the Muscatine Police Department has partnered with the Robert Young Center to integrate licensed mental health professionals into their emergency response efforts. This program aims to provide immediate specialized care during 911 calls, ensuring that individuals in crisis receive clinical support directly alongside traditional police assistance.
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🧠 Behavioral Health Briefs
This OregonLive article follows two days with the Portland Police Behavioral Health Unit, illustrating the complex and often volatile nature of mental health calls, including incidents involving delusions and weapons. It highlights the critical role of specialized units in navigating these high-stakes encounters while emphasizing the ongoing struggle to balance public safety with the need for clinical intervention in a strained system.
Starting December 15, 2025, Phoenix 911 dispatchers began asking callers if they need "police, fire, or behavioral health," officially adding a third pillar to emergency response. This initiative, unanimously approved by the City Council, aims to route mental health crises to specialized Community Assistance Program (CAP) teams rather than traditional law enforcement, ensuring residents receive the most appropriate care while freeing up police resources.
👮 Crisis Intervention Briefs
Bradford County is set to establish a new Crisis Intervention Team in 2026, supported by a $61,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. This program will pair law enforcement with behavioral health professionals to improve response outcomes, reduce unnecessary arrests, and ensure residents in crisis receive immediate clinical support.
In a year-end interview, Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw proposed that mental health crisis calls should be led by the health sector rather than law enforcement. He suggested a re-evaluation of the current Mobile Crisis Intervention Team (MCIT) model, arguing that police should only be present to ensure safety while medical professionals take the lead on clinical care and assessment.