Phoenix Adds Behavioral Health to Emergency Calls

The Phoenix, Arizona Police Department is adding behavioral health options to their emergency call services. The change comes in response to a surging community need for enhanced mental health and addiction crisis support across the city of Phoenix.

Addressing Phoenix’s Behavioral Health Crisis

When someone calls 911, and an operator asks “What is your emergency?” We tend to think of the help police or firefighters can offer. In Phoenix an additional question changes the way mental health care is accessed in communities across the metro area. 

Whether someone is struggling with a mental health crisis or looking for a specific service like addiction recovery programs, emergency and non-emergency phone lines will now include the option to receive behavioral health assistance during the initial call intake. 

A Positive Response 

The new question “Do you need fire, police, or behavioral health?” has been met with a positive response from community members. 

The Phoenix Fire Department Community Assistance Program Administrator adds, “This enhancement represents a critical step forward in ensuring individuals in crisis can quickly and clearly identify the behavioral health services they need. By streamlining this process, this update strengthens safety, transparency and care, ensuring residents receive the most effective response available for their situation.”

This includes connecting community members to more targeted and longer term treatment programs in Phoenix and throughout Arizona.

The Right Help for the Right Calls

The Phoenix City Council decided to add behavioral health assistance as a way to prioritize community support and safety. Mayor Kate Gallego speaks on how the community will be safer when callers are transferred to professionals who are trained to help support them during a mental health crisis. 

If a caller chooses the behavioral health option, they’ll be transferred to the Behavioral Health Dispatcher at the Phoenix Fire Department who can then deploy a Community Assistance Program (CAP). This gets the proper resources to callers who may be in a mental health or substance abuse crisis right away. 

In many cases, these initial interventions can serve as a bridge to longer term care, including residential treatment centers, outpatient behavioral health programs, or dual diagnosis treatment for individuals managing both mental health and addiction concerns.

The Communications Bureau Administrator Allie Edwards also adds that “there’s an option to get mental health services to someone in need. Our operators have been trained to ask additional questions in order to ensure the appropriate responders get dispatched.” 

Find Behavioral Health and Addiction Treatment

If you need help with a substance dependency or mental health concern, you have choices.

Explore treatment centers in your area by level of care, mental health and addiction services offered, payment options including Medicaid, and support for co-occurring conditions.

Or call 800-908-4823 (Sponsored) to get help today.

Author

Natalie Scott

Read Bio

Natalie recently graduated from Purdue University with degrees in Psychology and Creative Writing. She’s committed to advocating for others and to always showing up with a compassionate heart. In her rare free time, she enjoys writing poetry, dancing, and playing piano.