San Rafael Crisis Team Diverts 3,000 Calls from Police
San Rafael's SAFE (Street Assistance For Everyone) Team has successfully responded to over 3,000 calls for help since its inception. The team, which includes medics and crisis intervention specialists, handles calls related to homelessness, mental health, and substance abuse. This approach diverts individuals from the criminal justice system and connects them with social services.
- The SAFE Team program, which launched on March 27, 2023, is modeled after the CAHOOTS (Crisis Assistance Helping Out On The Streets) program in Eugene, Oregon. It operates in partnership with the Petaluma People Services Center. - In its first year, from March 2023 to March 2024, the team handled 3,152 calls for service. This included 982 welfare checks and assisting 75 individuals who were suicidal. - The team is comprised of a Crisis Intervention Specialist and an Emergency Medical Technician who are not armed and do not have law enforcement authority. They respond to calls concerning mental health, substance abuse, and homelessness. - Data from the first year shows the team was responsible for 98 jail diversions, 132 ambulance diversions, and 105 emergency room diversions. This has contributed to a reduction in police Priority 1 response times from 7 minutes to 5 minutes in 2023. - The team operates 12 hours a day, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week. The city is currently evaluating an expansion to 18 or 24-hour service and seeking state and federal grants for program sustainability. - Calls for service involving the unhoused community account for 48% of the SAFE Team's responses. A SAFE Team Navigator is part of the program to manage referrals to various social and mental health programs in Marin County.
