South San Francisco City Council
October 25, 2023

Advocating for
Our City’s
Community
Wellness and
Crisis Response
Team
Presented by the
City of South San Francisco’s
Commission on Equity and Public Safety
A Brief History
• Commission on Racial & Social Equity (2021)
• Goal 2: Strategy 2.1
• Consideration 1
• South San Francisco 2040 General Plan
• Equitable Community Services (ECS): Goals 2, 3, and 6 • San Mateo County Community Wellness and Crisis Response Team (CWCRT) • Pilot Program effective January 2022 – December 2023
• Currently Practicing
Similar Mental Health Crisis
Response Models (Bay Area):
• CARE Team
• CATT
• CCPCFT
• CCS
• CCT
• FFT
• GART
• MACRO
• MCT
• MET
• SCRT
Mental Health Clinician Trending
Similar Mental Health Crisis Response
Models (Nationwide):
• Aurora, IL
• Bangor, ME
• Brunswick, OH
• Eugene, OR (CAHOOTS)
• Centre County, PA
• Greenville, SC
• Lee’s Summit, NJ
• Memphis, TN
• Meridian, ID
• Rochester, NY
Benefits Our Police Officers
• Frees time for crime prevention
• Receives mental health and CIT training
• Builds departmental financial savings
• Decreases risk of critical incidents
• Reflects Police Officers’ support of program continuation Actual/Anticipated Benefits to Our Community
• Provides those in crisis immediate care from a licensed clinician • Offers individuals additional resources after a crisis • Reduces risk of jail bookings
• Diverts individuals from involvement in the criminal justice system • Decreases the frequency of use of force including potential shootings
In Conclusion
This crisis response program solution:
• Aligns with nationwide trends
• Positions our city to remain at the forefront
• Represents a major equity-responsive step
• Supports a “win-win-win” for community, police, and especially people experiencing mental health crises