City Pilots Alternative Response Program to Emergency Calls

The City of Boulder is launching an alternative response pilot program, Community Assistance Response and Engagement (CARE), to respond to dispatcher-triaged 911 and non-emergency line calls that do not require a police response.

The CARE pilot program is part of the city’s effort to create an alternative to police response for 911 calls that are not criminal in nature, do not present safety concerns, and may be more appropriately addressed by health care and behavioral health professionals. The CARE team consists of a behavioral health clinician, a paramedic, and includes intensive case management. This program aims to better assist community members with complex needs.

"The City of Boulder takes pride in its emergency medical services for the community,” said Michael Calderazzo, Fire Chief. “Boulder Fire-Rescue additionally appreciates the great value of partnering with Housing and Human Services in providing advanced level care and preventative medical assistance to those here in need.”

During the first phase of the pilot program, which begins today, the CARE team will be available Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. In the program’s early months city leadership will continue to assess the success of the program and how it is meeting the needs of the community. As staffing increases and the program makes improvements based on lessons learned during the pilot period, CARE will expand its operating hours.

CARE responds to calls involving concerns about a person’s wellbeing. Calls may involve concerns about anxiety, depression, thoughts or statements about suicide, substance use, minor medical issues, or a person who is experiencing a decline and not receiving appropriate care. CARE does not respond to calls with a report of criminal activity, threats of violence, physical disturbance, weapons, injuries, or major medical need.

“Our goal is that every community member gets the response that best meets their needs in the moment,” said Wendy Schwartz, Human Services Policy Manager. “With licensed behavioral health clinicians and paramedics evaluating appropriate cases in the field, we have one more tool to helping people connect with the right services at the right time.”

Through the CARE pilot program, the city aims to:

• Help people feel supported and able to manage complex challenges while staying in the community.
• Increase positive health impacts for community members served by CARE and reduce future emergency services calls for those individuals through connection to ongoing community services.
• Better use police and fire-rescue resources by diverting calls that could be more effectively served by an alternative response.
• Achieve cost savings from reduced emergency services by reducing unnecessary ambulance rides.

The CARE team complements the Crisis Intervention Response Team (CIRT), which responds to higher acuity calls than CARE. Through CIRT, clinicians respond with police on calls involving a behavioral health crisis. Other outreach and alternative response groups in the city include the Homeless Outreach Team, Urban Park Rangers, Downtown Ambassadors and Nurse Navigator Program. CARE now offers an additional approach to helping ensure community members’ diverse needs are met with compassionate and effective response.

Boulder is the first community in Boulder County to implement this kind of alternative response program. Staff will work with a professional evaluator to review success metrics of the CARE pilot program and make improvements as the program evolves.

Learn more about the Community Assistance Response and Engagement pilot on the city’s website.