Episode 16 coming out on July 7th!
Denver has established a new program to dispatch mental health teams rather than police officers to certain 911 calls. Since June 2020, the Support Team Assisted Response (STAR) has deployed medical and behavioral health clinicians to respond to over 2,200 low risk calls reporting trespassing, intoxication, or mental health crises involving poverty, homelessness, or addiction. Luckily, STAR has never had to call for police backup. In January, the City Council unanimously allocated a $1.4 million contract for the STAR program’s expansion, paying for five additional white vans and hiring 7 clinicians, 4 paramedics, and two emergency medical technicians. Learn more below.
