Community Crisis
Response Program
Receive the Draft Report on the Development and
Implementation of a Community Crisis Response
Program
Richmond City Council
September 12, 2023
David Harris & Anne Janks - Urban Strategies Council
LaShonda White & Patrick Seals - City of Richmond
● Founded in 1987
● Nationally recognized organization based in the Bay Area, California ● Focused on advancing positive health, economic, and educational outcomes in communities of color, utilizing:
○ Data & Research
○ Leadership Development & Training
○ Collaboration Building
○ Policy Innovation and Advocacy
Who We Are
Community Engagement in CCRP Development
Surveys
Paper surveys were distributed at events, meetings, and shared by community organizations.
Online links were distributed by the city, USC, and community organizations.
Five languages: English, Hindi, Spanish, Portuguese, and Mandarin.
Focus Groups and Community Forums
Nine focus groups and two city community forums.
Stakeholder Interviews
Richmond and Contra Costa’s municipal and County governments Community-based and civic organizations
Service providers
Local businesses
Individuals directly impacted by an experience with the emergency call system “Community engagement is a part of community design. Engagement is a foundation for educating and organizing the community to support implementation”
Engagement Explores Residents’ Experiences
● Interactions with emergency services
● Access to emergency and non-emergency services
● Barriers to access
● Outcomes
● Community assets
● Unrecognized, under-developed, under-funded community resources ● Informal and community support during crisis
● Where and how residents receive information about resources and services
“Community engagement is a part of community design. Engagement is a foundation for educating and organizing the community to support implementation”
Community Response Elements
● Respond to a broad range of calls (not solely identified mental health calls) ● Help residents access referrals and resources
● Engagement is voluntary (no arrest, no involuntary hospitalization) ● Reflects the unique needs and resources of diverse neighborhoods ● Teams recruited from the communities they serve
● Good jobs that honor the challenging work, enable team members to thrive
● Teams are experienced and well -trained, but not professional clinicians
Common Calls Dispatched to Alternative Response Teams
Welfare Check
Down & Out/Sleeper/Unsheltered
individual/subject down
Intoxicated person
Panhandling
Obstructing a business/sidewalk
Refusing to leave a business/trespass
Loitering
Person in traffic/traffic hazard
Disorderly person
Public urination/Indecent exposure
Public drug and alcohol use
Incorrigible youth/disorderly juvenile
Found senile/confused/disoriented person
Disturbance/Nuisance complaint
Noise complaint
Neighbor conflict
Family/relationship dispute
Needles for pickup
Death notification
Chronic caller/repeat users
Public assist
Incomplete 911 call
Police/Fire/EMS request assistance
(up to 30% of calls some programs respond to)
What Would Make Richmond’s Emergency Services Better?
No
Yes
Potential Pilot Implementation Structural Options
1. Non-Profit - Issue an RFP for an independent non-profit agency (vendor) to run the program.
Lessons learned from Antioch’s non-profit program implementation can inform the pros and cons for Richmond’s decision-making.
2. Existing City Office – Institute the CCRP within an existing municipal department. Potential candidates include the Richmond Fire Department, the Community Services Department, and the Office of Neighborhood Safety. Based on resident feedback, the CCRP should not be implemented under the Richmond Police Department.
3. New City Department – Create a new City department that includes the CCRP and potentially other current initiatives (e.g., social service needs).
4. Nonprofit Hybrid Model – Initiate the CCRP in a non-profit (to implement the pilot) with the intention of the CCRP then being brought into the City.
5. Richmond Partnership with Contra Costa County - Negotiate with Contra Costa to provide the services the City of Richmond.
Pilot program rollout timeline depends on the implementation decisions, as do the estimated pilot costs. This assumes the CCRP pilot runs for 18 months to two years.
Budget Projections and Assumptions
1. Program expenditures are tentative until the following are finalized:
a. Where program is housed
b. Operational decisions
2. Staffing level 24 hours/day, 7 days/week program operation (14 FTEs)
3. Projected (average) annual salaries for each position (based on salary ranges for similar Richmond job classifications)
Positions (with estimated salaries):
● Program Manager – $120,000
● Administrative/Data Analyst – $80,000 ($40,000 for .5 FTE) ● Community Crisis Responder – $70,000
● Emergency Medical Technician – $80,000
● Mental Health Clinician – $130,000 ($65,000 for .5 FTE)
Budget Projections and Assumptions
Non-Profit
Structure FTE Salary
Subtotal Benefit (35%) Total Comp
(12 mos.)
Total Comp (6
mos.)
Personnel 14 $1,125,000 $393,750 $1,518,750 $759,375
Operations $351,000 $175,500
Total(s) $1,869,750 $934,875
City Structure FTE Salary
Subtotal Benefit (80%) Total Comp
(12 mos.)
Total Comp (6
mos.)
Personnel 14 $1,125,000 $900,000 $2,025,000 $1,012,500
Operations $351,000 $175,500
Total(s) $2,376,000 $1,187,500
Assumptions: 24/7 coverage, 14 FTEs, estimated salaries based on potential classifications from Richmond’s current salary schedule, 35% benefit rate for non -profits, 80% benefit rate for Richmond, cost pool rates not included for City, classifications and salary ranges not established, meet and confer with unions has not occurred, etc.
Ongoing Stakeholder & Community Engagement
1. Community Advisory Board to provide oversight and support for the program.
2. Regular and structured meetings with service providers offering referrals and resources for CCRP.
3. Citywide outreach and public education campaign.
4. Regularly updated public facing CCRP website and a data dashboard.
5. Complaint and feedback mechanism and a process for the review of complaints.
Next Steps
• Hire a program manager position to lead the CCRP work • Create other job classifications, based on the selected program model • Work with USC on a Request For Proposal (if a decision is made to contract with a non-profit)
• Discuss dispatch and training with RPD
• Discuss hiring and placement of EMTs with CCC EMS and RFD • Continue coordination with CCC A3 program
• Purchase one or more vehicles
• Develop CCRP protocols
• Create community outreach and engagement plan
• Define referral relationships with community-based service providers • Discuss a strong data collection, monitoring, and evaluation system • Develop internal and external agreements
THANK YOU &
QUESTIONS
RECEIVE a draft report and presentation from Urban Strategies Council regarding Community Crisis Response Program model options; and PROVIDE DIRECTION to City staff