Page 8 - PCPA Winter 2024 Bulletin Magazine

PA CHIEFS OF POLICE ASSOCIATION
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE (CONTINUED)
system to include a fourth branch of emergency re-
sponders: behavioral health first responders. This
behavioral health first responders can be sent into
the community to respond to eligible 911 calls. In
Allegheny County, law enforcement can refer eligi-
ble calls to two-person teams of behavioral health
first responders (BHFRs). Those BHFRs can respond
instead of, with or after law enforcement to certain
911 calls that have been deemed to not require a law
enforcement response.
The mission of Alternative Response is to address
social service and behavioral health crises with so-
cial service and behavioral health responses. The
goal of the program is to de-escalate crisis in the
community, reduce unnecessary emergency room
visits, reduce the time officers spend on behavioral-
health type calls, offer and complete connections to
care for those who want it, and reduce the chance of
arrest and incarceration. If we meet these goals, we
think we will improve the wellbeing of individuals in
the community by supporting connections to care;
and the wellbeing of the county by safely reducing
jail admissions and hospital visits.
DHS has been researching Alternative Programs
since early 2021 and has partnered with Allegheny
County Emergency Services (ACES), municipal Po-
lice Chiefs (including chiefs from the pilot depart-
ments of Penn Hills, Monroeville, McKees Rocks
and Allegheny County Housing Authority), and other
community stakeholders. They were also supported
by the Harvard Kennedy School Government Perfor-
mance Lab as a part of their Alternative 911 Emer-
gency Response Implementation Cohort.
Early findings from alternative response programs in
other U.S. cities indicate that alternative response
teams can respond safely and effectively to eligible
911 calls for service. Based on the publicly availa-
ble data, there are 0 reported responder injuries or
deaths, less than 4% of calls require back up from
police due to safety concerns, and staff report feel-
ing safe responding to calls 99% of the time.
4. The A-Team
Resources for Human Development, Inc. (RHD) was
selected through a public bidding process to provide
the alternative response service. Call the A-Team,
this alternative response service includes dispatch
coordinators, clinical supervisors, and behavioral
health first responders (BHFRs) and follow up team
members. RHD hires and trains BHFRs to respond
to 9-1-1 calls and provide follow up services to those
encountered during responses.
The A-Team is trained to deliver specialized services
on-site and respond to referrals that meet the needs
of residents in crisis. Services and supports provided
by the A-Team include crisis de-escalation, behav-
ioral health screenings, safety planning, counseling,
mediation, provision of tangible goods (e.g., water,
snacks, socks) and transportation.
The A-Team is currently operating in McKees Rocks,
Penn Hills, Monroeville, and Allegheny County Hous-
ing Authority sites. It operates from 10am to 10pm
for 7 days a week and 365 days a year.
There are three ways that the A-Team responds to
eligible 9-1-1 calls:
• Alternative Response: A-Team responds instead
of law enforcement.
• Simultaneous Response: A-Team responds at
the same time as law enforcement.
• Secondary Response: A-Team responds after law
enforcement has responded.
5. Call Eligibility and Exclusionary Criteria
Eligible calls: The A-Team responds to 9-1-1 calls re-
lated to behavioral health emergencies. Behavioral
health emergencies include:
• People in emotional distress
• People who are thinking of or threatening to harm
themselves
• People who are thinking of or threatening to com-
mit suicide
• People who are experiencing hallucinations or psy-
chosis
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