Baltimore is implementing an expansion of its crisis response services that redirects certain 911 calls away from police to mental health professionals and community responders. The initiative, funded by approximately $400 million in opioid-related legal settlements, aims to address calls that do not require traditional emergency services such as police, firefighters, or EMTs.
The city received 1.68 million calls to 911 in 2024, with tens of thousands involving situations that could be resolved through social services rather than law enforcement. These calls include reports of homeless individuals sleeping in public spaces, people appearing confused in parks, and individuals causing disturbance on streets. According to experts, such responses often result in arrests rather than connecting people to needed services. Research from Durham, North Carolina, showed that non-law enforcement teams responding to crisis calls resulted in fewer arrests compared to police responses, particularly for callers who were Black, male, or between ages 25 and 39.
Baltimore’s mobile crisis teams, overseen by Behavioral Health System Baltimore, have operated for years to divert mental health crisis calls from police. The new expansion will broaden this model to operate continuously and address additional types of crises. The program represents a shift in how the city addresses emergency calls, with officials viewing them as opportunities to connect residents with wraparound services including housing support, healthcare, and mental health treatment rather than pursuing punitive measures.
Baltimore examined similar programs in other cities, including Durham’s Holistic Empathetic Assistance Response Team, which has diverted over 12,000 calls in four years while requiring police backup in only 0.02% of cases. The expansion has allocated $15 million in settlement funds so far. The strategy aligns with broader city goals to reduce violence, address addiction, and break cycles of incarceration affecting individuals experiencing poverty, addiction, and mental health challenges. The approach has garnered support from researchers who note that such services provide callers confidence in receiving appropriate responses while giving responders better tools to achieve actual resolution to crises.
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