City of Worcester seeks mental health provider to replace police response model in crisis situations
Photo | Grant Welker
Worcester City Hall
The City of Worcester has issued a request for proposals to find a mental health service provider to lead in the development and implementation of a community crisis response model, which will be used to respond to people in need of immediate intervention and support in place of the current police response model, the city announced on Wednesday.
According to the RFP, the provider selected must be a nonprofit with experience working with underserved and underrepresented Worcester populations experiencing mental health challenges and substance use disorder. The organization will be tasked with building a multi-layered team, which will deploy a mobile crisis response system during crises.
The service model the city is seeking should be centered around a mobile and street outreach crisis response team composed of mental health, behavioral health and non-emergency staff/patient navigators, per the RFP.
“This model recognizes the importance of a collaborative response to mental health or substance use crises that supports and augments the efforts of our law enforcement officers,” City Manager Edward Augustus said in a statement. “This is a critical step in ensuring we provide the necessary resources to community members in their immediate time of need.”
Those chosen will be asked to complete their work in three phases over a calendar year.
The initial budget for the RFP is $1 million. Details about applying are available on the city’s website.
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