Baltimore Gets $1M Grant to Expand 911 Mental Health Program

Baltimore is set to expand its 911 Diversion Program after receiving a $1 million federal grant aimed at improving responses to mental health-related calls.

Launched in June 2021, the program allows 911 dispatchers to redirect certain calls away from police and instead send trained mental health or behavioral health professionals. The goal is to better match responders with the needs of each situation, CBS Baltimore reports.

Mayor Brandon Scott said the city’s emergency call center handles a wide range of situations that go beyond traditional emergencies.

“This is about making sure people get the right kind of help,” Scott said, emphasizing that not every 911 call requires a law enforcement response.

City leaders say the expansion could help prevent incidents like one earlier this year. On January 19, Baltimore police responded to a call on Park Avenue involving a woman experiencing a mental health crisis while holding a knife. Officers shot 48-year-old Autumn Elizabeth Denny in the leg after she refused to drop the weapon. She survived and was treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

Congressman Kwesi Mfume said situations like that highlight the need for alternative responses.

“Across the country, we’ve seen moments where police response alone wasn’t enough,” Mfume said. “There’s often a need for additional types of support.”

The new funding will allow Baltimore to send counselors, social workers, and other specialists to certain calls, including those involving mental health crises and substance use.

Stephanie Maaronis, director of the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement, said the city is already working with multiple agencies and community partners to build out the next phase of the program.

Officials say once those plans are finalized, they will be rolled out publicly.

Mayor Scott added that Baltimore hopes to serve as a model for similar programs nationwide, especially as more communities look for safer and more effective ways to respond to behavioral health emergencies.

Baltimore Expands 911 Diversion Program to Handle More Mental Health Calls was originally published on 92q.com