Community Wellness
Crisis Response Team,
San Mateo
Chief Ed Barberini
Linda Allen, AMFT & Briana Fair, ACSW
Helpful Definitions
5150: The number of the section of the Welfare and
Institutions Code, which allows an adult who is experiencing a mental health crisis to be involuntarily detained for a 72- hour psychiatric hospitalization when evaluated to be a danger to others, or to himself or herself, or gravely disabled.
Case Management: “A dynamic process that assesses, plans, implements, coordinates, monitors, and evaluates to improve outcomes, experiences, and value.”
Co-response Model: Involves law enforcement and clinicians working together in response to calls for service involving a person experiencing a behavioral health crisis.
CWCRT: Community Wellness Crisis Response Team
Community Wellness, Crisis Response Team
StarVista’s CWCRT Pilot Program, in partnership with San Mateo County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services and 4 police departments: San Mateo, Daly City, South San Francisco, and Redwood City, is designed to improve law enforcement response to community members experiencing mental health crisis. Due to the CWCRT’s success, the program has since expanded into Foster City and other cities throughout San Mateo County are considering implementing the co response model.
Who Are We:
Clinicians embed in police departments, co-responding to individuals in the community having mental health crisis.
1 in 5 U.S. adults experience mental illness each year
1 in 20 U.S. adults experience serious mental illness each year 1 in 6 U.S. youth aged 6-17 experience a mental health disorder each year 50% of all lifetime mental illness begins by age 14, and 75% by age 24 Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among people aged 10-14 National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI),
Mental Health By the Numbers (2021)
SMPD’s Response Prior to CWCRT
SMPD officers responding to mental health calls…
• Having limited resources to share with individuals in crisis and their families
• No capacity for follow up after 5150 or crisis that
ends in disengagement
• Contributing to the revolving door of crisis services • Limited access to historical mental health information prior to managing the crisis
• Limited ability to communicate with community
partners in and outside of the crisis
“(The clinician) has empowered and supported the expansion of officer training and experience, offering a refined and holistic approach for supporting mental health. Working alongside mental health clinician …has been an invaluable partnership in our mission to serve and protect.” – SMPD Officer Purpose: Improve law enforcement response to
community members experiencing mental health crisis.
How do clinicians support that purpose?
• Face-to face crisis assessment
• De-escalation
• Consultation as needed
• 5150 evaluation and application or safety planning
• Brief case management and follow up
• Coordination/collaboration with law enforcement and community partners
How the Crisis Response Clinician Supports SMPD
Homelessness
Support and collaborate
with the HOT team
Developmental Disorders
Connection to supportive
resources for those
experiencing symptoms
related to autism
Mental Health Crisis
5150 assessments
Emotional support
Connection/referrals to
resources and supports
Clinical interventions
Mediation
Follow up
Cognitive Disorders
Connection to supportive
resources for those
experiencing symptoms
related to types of dementia
Substance Use
Connections to resources
and supports
C R I M E A N A L Y S I S
SAN MATEO
POLICE DEPARTMENT
200 FRANKLIN PARKWAY, SAN MATEO, CA 94403 | TEL: 650.522.7700 | www.cityofsanmateo.org/273/Police April 15, 2024
5150 Reports Taken
2,030
There was a
23% decrease (264
reports) in 5150 reports taken from
time period 1 (07.29.19-11.28.21)
to time period 2 (11.29.21-
03.31.24).
0 10
20 30
40 50
60 70
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
5150 Reports Taken (2019 -2024)
854 days 854 days
1,147 883
C o m m u n i t y W e l l n e s s C r i s i s R e s p o n s e T e a m : M e n t a l H e a l t h S t a t s 0 7 . 2 9 . 1 9- 1 1 . 2 8 . 2 1 c o m p a r e d t o 1 1 . 2 9 . 2 1- 0 3 . 3 1 . 2 4 1,147
883
0 200
400
600
800
1,000
1,200
1,400
07.29.19-
11.28.21 11.29.21-
03.31.24 Mental Health Related Reports Taken Time Period Comparison 5150 Reports
*July not shown.
There were 5
reports taken
7/29-7/31.
*
C R I M E A N A L Y S I S
C o m m u n i t y W e l l n e s s C r i s i s R e s p o n s e T e a m : M e n t a l H e a l t h S t a t s 0 7 . 2 9 . 1 9- 1 1 . 2 8 . 2 1 c o m p a r e d t o 1 1 . 2 9 . 2 1- 0 3 . 3 1 . 2 4
SAN MATEO
POLICE DEPARTMENT
200 FRANKLIN PARKWAY, SAN MATEO, CA 94403 | TEL: 650.522.7700 | www.cityofsanmateo.org/273/Police April 15, 2024
Calls for Service
12,291
57 32
135 320
5,631 6,116
5,823
6,468
0 1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
7,000
07.29.19-
11.28.21 11.29.21-
03.31.24 Mental Health Calls for Service Time Period Comparison 1056A 5150 WC Total
0 50
100
150
200
250
300
350
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Mental Health Calls for Service (2019 -2024)
854 days 854 days
5,823 6,468
There was an
11% increase (645
calls) in mental health related
calls for service from time period 1
(07.29.19-11.28.21) to time period
2 (11.29.21-03.31.24).
*July not shown.
There were 27
CFS 7/29-7/31.
*
How Do We Measure Success ?
“there's been a big shift and we’re dealing with mental health a lot more… you guys are a huge asset to us… you help problem solve not just for today but for the future.” – SMPD Officer
27-year-old male living with parents when severe mental health symptoms began. Multiple calls for services to the home, multiple 5150’s, restraining orders and collaboration between community partners and family members. He now is housed in an outpatient mental health facility and working to manage his symptoms independently with hopes to reunite with family one day.
Gardner Center Research
“As part of the pilot program, San Mateo County engaged the John W. Gardner Center for Youth and their Communities (Gardner Center) to conduct an independent evaluation of program implementation and outcomes. The evaluation aims to describe the pilot program, identify factors impacting implementation, understand key outcomes, and highlight opportunities for learning and improvement”
• Short term outcomes from September 2022 interim report • “Improved cross-sector collaboration optimizes response to individuals experiencing a crisis with a mental health component.”
• “Improved community utilization of mental health services and resources.” • “Reduced strain on emergency services and systems.”
• Final report coming late 2024
SMPD Dashboard
On the city of San
Mateo Police
Department
website under
policing data
transparency
you can find all
the data related to
the mental health
calls and much
more !
The Future
Growth
More clinicians to cover more hours in a day
Ongoing training for officers
Decrease in individuals who utilize the
system more than the average person
Brief and intense case-management for connection to
appropriate supports resulting in decrease in crisis calls "Officers and community members alike view the Mental Health Clinician Program as a resounding success. Officers value our clinicians as indispensable partners in our public safety mission. The only feedback I've received about our clinicians is that we need more of them!“ – SMPD Officer Partnerships