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Thirteen cities have completed an eight-week “policy-sprint” to develop programs to create an emergency response that assigns civilian mental health counselors to respond to 911 calls, CNN reports.
The Alternative Dispatch Programs, developed by Everytown For Gun Safety and What Works Cities, is aimed at reducing the burden of police who ordinarily respond to such calls. Organizers say it will help save lives, and save cities money.
“Not everyone has the perfect answer but having conversations, finding possible ways to work through this, is the start,” said Naureen Kabir, a senior policy adviser at Everytown, a gun violence prevention group…
