Corri Planck, Manager of the city’s Human Services Division, presented an update to the Public Safety Commission on the West Hollywood Care Team, a specialized unit designed to provide mobile behavioral health crisis response which has been in the planning and development stages for approximately three years.
The team is intended to offer a range of services that are trauma-informed and culturally competent. The services include crisis situation assessment, safety planning, welfare checks, grief and loss support, first aid, conflict mediation, and social service referrals. The team will operate 24/7, 365 days a year, and each shift will be staffed by two peer support managers who have specialized training in these areas.
City Council approved a three-year agreement with Sycamores, a behavioral healthcare agency with over a hundred years of experience in the field, to provide these services. The cost of this agreement is a little over $7 million dollars for three years. An MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) with the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health is also in the final stages of approval.
The dispatch mechanism for the Care Team is through the 988 national crisis hotline, which was launched in July 2022. When someone calls this hotline and an in-person response is required, the hotline has the ability to dispatch either an LA County Department of Mental Health Field Intervention Team or the West Hollywood Care Team. The deciding factor for dispatch is the estimated time of arrival. The Care Team is expected to have shorter arrival times for locations within West Hollywood, thus making them the default responders for most situations within the city.
The Care Team is intended to integrate seamlessly into the existing emergency response ecosystem of the city, which includes the Sheriff’s Department and LA County Fire. The team can serve as a secondary responder at scenes where law enforcement or fire services are already present. Moreover, the Care Team is designed to be a bridge to the city’s existing social services infrastructure, ensuring that individuals in crisis can be connected to ongoing care and support. The city has a robust portfolio of social services valued at over seven million dollars annually, and the Care Team aims to provide immediate crisis resolution and then connect individuals to these existing services for longer-term care.
Community feedback played a significant role in shaping the program. For instance, the Care Team will operate using an unmarked SUV and team members will wear everyday clothing rather than uniforms. These choices were made to reduce stigma and ensure that the team’s presence is as non-threatening and welcoming as possible.
In the dialogue, the discussion revolved around the roles, responsibilities, and differentiation between the MET (Mental Health Evaluation Team) and the new Care Team. The MET Team, which is unique to West Hollywood and funded by the city, comprises a DMH (Department of Mental Health) clinician and a specially trained deputy sheriff. They provide de-escalation services and mental health assessments, usually co-responding with other sheriff’s deputies. The Care Team, on the other hand, is a non-law enforcement entity that aims to be operational 24/7, 365 days a year. The team comprises peer support managers and does not include a dedicated deputy sheriff or EMT.
Concerns were raised about the safety of Care Team members responding to potentially dangerous situations without law enforcement backup. It was clarified that the 911 dispatch for sheriff and fire would assess the nature of the emergency to determine which team is best suited to respond. The Care Team would typically act as a secondary responder when summoned by sheriff’s deputies or fire services. However, through the 988 hotline, which is designed for mental health crises, the Care Team could be the primary responders unless the situation involves active suicidal behavior with weapons, which would then trigger a law enforcement response.
The 988 hotline has trained crisis counselors capable of ascertaining whether a law enforcement response is needed, alongside or instead of a mental health team response. The Care Team can thus receive backup from sheriff’s deputies when needed.
It was also clarified that funding for the Care Team did not divert resources from law enforcement, fire services, or any other existing services like Block by Block. The goal is to offer tailored services to meet the community’s diverse needs without compromising existing support structures.
The discussion further delved into the qualifications and training of individuals serving on the Care Team. The team is overseen by individuals with advanced degrees, such as master’s degrees and possibly a Ph.D., from the provider organization Sycamores. The peer support team members may vary in qualifications. Some may have bachelor’s degrees, while others may have lived experience, either personally or through someone close to them, with mental health issues or homelessness.
The hiring process was noted to be moving swiftly, allowing for more coverage than initially anticipated. Sycamores has been successful in recruiting for the Care Team, which enabled the city to have two shifts covered right from the launch in September. The organization has also hired additional on-call staff and is close to hiring for a third shift that will cover weekend evenings.
The Care Team members will undergo a series of specialized trainings, including certification in CPR, First Aid, and Narcan distribution. Special attention is also given to ensuring the team is culturally competent, particularly in serving West Hollywood’s LGBTQ community.
Regarding data collection and reporting, plans are in place to compile monthly reports for the first six months of the Care Team’s operation. This will allow for an assessment of the number and types of calls handled. A community convening is planned for six months after the launch, likely in April, to share information. However, it was noted that some data might be sensitive due to confidentiality requirements.
Commissioner Adam Eramian inquired whether the Care Team has a licensed clinician capable of issuing a 5150 hold for individuals in severe crisis. It was clarified that while the Care Team has peer support staff, they are not licensed to conduct a 5150 hold. In such cases, additional support is provided by LA County’s Field Intervention Team (FIT), which does have licensed clinicians. The Care Team also has access to telehealth services to get assessments from licensed clinicians as needed. This structure aims to ensure that the right resources are available to handle crises effectively.
Regarding coverage, there was concern about potential delays in response times if the MET team and Care Team were on opposite sides of the city. The Care Team is working towards 24/7 coverage, expected to be in place within the next 12 months. The team has staffed up more quickly than anticipated, and the goal is to provide immediate, comprehensive support to community members in crisis.
Seems convoluted and a slow assembly of all these teams when a situation might be urgent. It was said at the meeting that these teams are the “third-first responders”. That’s an interesting way to look at it, and also concerning.
But even with the cops, the EMTs, the Care Team, the Met Team, the Ambassadors and the scooter pick up people, there always seems to be many individuals all over the city in desperate need of assistance……and nobody sees them.
The labyrinth of bureaucracy papered over with artfully constructed word salad phraseology indicates the potential for an unrealistic failed, expensive, feel good program. Where are the practical problem solvers?
It is interesting to note how the qualifications of these outreach workers has been diluted so now even people without a degree can get hired based upon “lived experience”. I suppose some experience living on the street could be helpful. The greatest challenge of this program is hire and retain qualified people and most recent college graduates do not exactly see this as their dream job; it is dangerous and stressful and other jurisdictions have suffered from high burn out rates among outreach workers. I worry that this expensive program may go the way of the ill fated Block by… Read more »