More emergency response calls are being taken by mental health specialists in the city of Phoenix as the city’s Community Assistance Program increases its staffing and as dispatchers learn which calls to send to the specialists.
In June 2021, Phoenix City Council allocated $15 million to expand CAP, under which mental health specialists respond to emergencies or 911 calls in addition to or instead of police and fire, depending on the nature of the emergency.
That funding created 128 full-time equivalent positions, of which Phoenix has now filled 65%. Hiring is not slowing either, with CAP staff reviewing more than 100 applicants and holding a hiring event next month.
