To: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
From: JOY A. FORD, CITY ATTORNEY
STEPHANIE JOHNSON, QUALITY OF LIFE PROSECUTOR
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APPROVE THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH HERO COMMUNITY SERVICES AS A CONSULTANT TO CLEAR'S ALTERNATIVE CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM AND TO IMPLEMENT A 12-WEEK WEEKEND PILOT PROGRAM TO RESPOND TO WEEKEND CALLS AND COLLECT IMPERATIVE DATA FOR THE SUCCESS AND LONGEVITY OF THE ACR PROGRAM FOR AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $149,994.28 FOR THE TERM OF OCTOBER 8, 2025 TO SEPTEMBER 30, 2026
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On April 29, 2025, the Mayor and City Council held a Strategic Planning Session and discussed strengthening the City's Mental Health Response and Community Support Systems (Goal 2.2.) A report was requested on the City's efforts to utilize grant funding to procure a mental health clinician to provide a targeted response to mental health-related incidents in the City (No. 21). The City Attorney's Office looked at several options in developing an Alternative Crisis Response (ACR) program, including reaching out to Clear Recovery Center (Clear). Clear has agreed to provide an ACR team and Council has approved their MOU on September 9, 2025.
In an effort to ensure the success of this program and meet HealthNet grant deliverable requirements, the City Attorney's Office met with HERO ("Housing Empowerment Recovery & Outreach") Community Services to discuss collaboration efforts. HERO has agreed to act as a consultant to Clear, implement a 12-week pilot program which will provide ACR coverage on the weekends, and collect data imperative to help shape and guide the long-term success of this program. Staff recommends the City Council approve the agreement with HERO.
BACKGROUND
An Alternative Crisis Response (ACR) is designed to approach non-violent, mental and behavioral health service calls by offering trauma-informed care, crisis de-escalation, in person intervention and transport to immediate behavioral health services. Physical health...
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