The $2.49 million state grant will help the cities of Santa Rosa, Petaluma, Rohnert Park and Cotati establish mobile crisis service programs. Such programs send behavioral health and emergency medical service teams to emergency calls that do not require a law enforcement response. For the past decade, the Sonoma County Department of Health Services has operated its own program, the Mobile Support Team, responding to calls in which an individual may be experiencing a behavioral health crisis.
“On many calls where an individual is experiencing a behavioral health emergency, law enforcement is not equipped to respond, and when they do, their presence can often escalate the situation,” said Tina Rivera, director of the Department of Health Services. “We have found that a dedicated team of behavioral health first responders is vital in these situations, and we are proud to help our municipal partners establish these services.”
According to the four-year funding agreement, Santa Rosa will get $415,000, Petaluma will get $916,000, Rohnert Park will get $769,000, and Cotati will get $146,000. The other $250,000 in grant funding will go to county staff.
Learn more about the county’s Mobile Support Team here.
