Worcester's Experiment in Crisis Response: A Missed Opportunity?
Three years ago, Worcester embarked on an ambitious experiment in crisis response, aiming to revolutionize the way the city handled mental health and substance use emergencies. The idea was to replace the traditional police response with a team of mental health professionals, offering a more compassionate and effective approach. This initiative, known as the Worcester Crisis Response Team, was a response to a growing number of residents facing mental health and substance use crises, exacerbated by the George Floyd murder, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the opioid crisis.
The program, a collaboration between the city and Community Healthlink, an affiliate of UMass Memorial Health, was funded with $1 million in taxpayer money. It aimed to deploy mental health professionals alongside police to 911 calls, providing a more empathetic and less confrontational approach. The goal was to get people into treatment services rather than incarceration.
However, the experiment fell short of becoming a permanent program. The primary reason, according to Community Healthlink's report, was the financial burden. The program incurred a nearly $200,000 operating loss during its 11-month pilot, with projections showing unsustainable losses if it were to become a 24/7 operation. The city's budget constraints and the high cost of salaries, benefits, and mobile vans played a significant role in this outcome.
The program's challenges extended beyond finances. The need for shorter response times and the high-risk nature of the calls were also cited as issues. The setup required emergency dispatchers to assess calls and determine if a crisis response team was necessary, which led to delays. Additionally, the program's success in getting people into treatment was overshadowed by the higher number of cases requiring inpatient care compared to the Mobile Crisis Intervention program.
Despite the program's shortcomings, the collaboration between law enforcement and mental health professionals continues through the Crisis Intervention Team. The ongoing lawsuit from three non-profits, which claims the city's practice of sending armed police to mental health calls violates federal laws, has led to a shift in focus. The city is now exploring alternative models, such as the Mobile Crisis Intervention program, which provides around-the-clock services in numerous Worcester County communities.
The future of these programs remains uncertain, as Community Healthlink is set to close permanently due to financial and operational challenges. Several social service agencies are in the running to take over these programs, with Springfield-based Behavioral Health Network Inc. and Northampton-based Clinical and Support Options being potential candidates. Worcester's journey in crisis response highlights the complexities of implementing innovative solutions and the need for sustained financial support to ensure their long-term success.
