Thousands of 911 calls related to mental health incidents were diverted away from a law enforcement response in Austin last year, and officials say that amount could more than double in 2022.
In Austin, those calling 911 are met with the standard police, fire and EMS options—in addition to a fourth choice for a mental health request. Calls requesting help with a mental health issue are then forwarded to a specialist at the 911 call center and could result in clinicians and case managers, rather than police, responding to an incident… READ MORE
