In a care response program, unarmed mental health professionals, including a peer (a certified individual with lived experience with mental illness and/or addiction living in recovery), respond to non-violent mental health crises, instead of police.

Care response addresses mental health and addiction crises in a community setting and provides a healthcare response for mental health and addiction crises. It is focused on reducing harm, avoiding unnecessary hospitalizations, and increasing treatment.

The Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services (ADAMHS) Board of Cuyahoga County is piloting a care response program in two Cleveland zip codes from late 2024 through the end of 2025. 

The Care Response Pilot Program is currently available 7:00am-5:00pm in Cleveland zip codes 44102 and 44015. 24/7 program availability is coming soon.

The Care Response Pilot Program is available in Cleveland zip codes 44102 and 44105. You can see the maps of 44102 and 44105 here.

During the pilot program, residents of 44102 and 44105 in the City of Cleveland can dial 988 to connect with the care response team. This specialized team is equipped to handle mental health crises with a compassionate, health-first approach.

No. Police will not be dispatched unless the situation is life-threatening. The Care Response Pilot Program is different from traditional 911 police responses in that it deploys unarmed mental health professionals and peer support specialists for crises, instead of law enforcement officers.

No, the care response team will not be dispatched through 911. Please call 988 to ensure your call is directed to the specialized care response team.

The care response team is specifically trained to respond to mental health or addiction crises. These include:

• Talking about suicide or planning to harm oneself

• Talking about feelings of hopelessness

• Self-injury that doesn’t need immediate medical attention

• Overuse of alcohol or other drugs

• Hearing voices or delusional thoughts

• Not sleeping or eating for many days

• Extreme depression or anxiety

Care responders will arrive in a gray Honda CRV with “Care Response, FrontLine Service” clearly marked on the doors. The vehicle does not have a siren or flashing lights. 

Care responders will be wearing a gray polo shirt with a care response logo. They will also have Frontline Service ID badges.

Police will not be dispatched unless the situation is life-threatening. Care responders are unarmed.

Upon arrival, Care responders will maintain kindness and respect, calm the situation, help the person in crisis, and provide resources for further support.

The care response teams are comprised of a licensed mental health professional and a peer support specialist, each rigorously trained in crisis intervention and culturally competent care. Additionally, a concerted effort has been made to ensure that team members reflect the demographics of the communities they serve. This approach not only enhances the effectiveness of the care provided but also fosters trust and understanding within the community, ensuring that the response is sensitive and appropriate to the diverse needs of the residents in areas 44102 and 44105.

The team has received training in crisis intervention, cultural competence, community-specific needs, and safety protocols to handle various crises effectively. Teams have been trained in:

• Mental health and substance use issues 

• Effective engagement strategies

• Verbal de-escalation

• Trauma-informed care

• Cultural humility and anti-racism 

• Suicide assessment and prevention

• Recognizing medical emergencies

• Self-care

Care response teams will not be dispatched to situations with a known risk to public or individual safety, such as situations involving violence, weapons, or active criminal activity. Traditional emergency services or law enforcement with Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training are more appropriate responders in these cases. The safety of both the individuals in crisis and the response team is a top priority, and calls are carefully assessed to ensure the proper response for each situation.

Care response is used to respond to those experiencing a mental health crisis. 

• Crisis: A crisis is a non-life-threatening situation where intervention may be possible without law enforcement or medics. A person may be thinking about hurting themselves or someone else or may be extremely emotionally upset or distressed. Some examples include:

  • Talking about suicide or planning to harm oneself.

  • Talking about feelings of hopelessness.

  • Talking about harm to self or others.

  • Self-injury that doesn’t need immediate medical attention.

  • Overuse of alcohol or other drugs.

  • Hearing voices or delusional thoughts.

  • Not sleeping or eating for many days.

  • Extreme depression, anxiety, or other mental illness symptoms.

For mental health crises, call 988.

• Emergency: An emergency is a life-threatening situation requiring an immediate response from law enforcement or medics. A person may be actively trying to harm themselves or someone else. In other situations, a person may be out of touch with reality, unable to function properly, or out of control. 

For mental health emergencies, call 911.

Individuals outside of the pilot zip codes who dial 988 will be connected to standard mental health crisis services that are available countywide. While these callers won’t access the Care Response teams, they will still receive professional support and guidance appropriate for their situations. If it is a life-threatening situation, please call 911.

Check out our community partner toolkit. It contains graphics and other materials you can share with your networks to raise awareness of the Care Response Pilot Program.

The selection of zip codes 44102 and 44105 for the Care Response Pilot Program was made with careful consideration, recognizing these areas for their pressing needs and potential for meaningful impact. 

Both areas experience a higher volume of emergency medical calls related to mental health and substance use, indicating a critical need for specialized support. Furthermore, these zip codes span Cleveland's west and east sides, including parts of downtown and Slavic Village, respectively, allowing us to gain insights into the varied needs of our city's diverse communities.

These areas are notably underserved, with significant disparities in access to mental health services, compounded by challenges related to race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and housing stability. By focusing our efforts here, we aim to address these disparities head-on, providing targeted, compassionate care where it is needed most. Our goal is not just to offer immediate assistance but to foster a model of support that can be adapted and expanded, reflecting our commitment to the well-being and dignity of all individuals in our community.

The key difference lies in the approach. Care response focuses on a health-first response without law enforcement involvement, unless necessary for safety, whereas co-response and CIT models integrate law enforcement directly into the crisis response.

Care response involves unarmed mental health professionals and peer support specialists responding to crisis situations, without law enforcement officers. The focus is on providing immediate mental health services in a community setting. Care response is accessed through 988.

Co-response models typically involve law enforcement officers partnering with mental health professionals to respond to crises together. This model still involves a police presence but adds a mental health perspective to the intervention. Co-response is accessed through 911.

Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) programs involve specially trained police officers who respond to mental health crises. CIT officers receive training in mental health issues, de-escalation techniques, and crisis intervention but are primarily law enforcement officers. CIT is also accessed through 911.

During the pilot program, calls for care responders must go through 988. The 988 call center team is thoroughly trained to assess the nature of each crisis call and determine the most appropriate response, whether it's care response or traditional emergency services. The care response teams have built relationships and work with traditional emergency services in each area served, and will connect with 911 if a situation is life-threatening. 

FrontLine Service is currently a crisis provider in Cleveland. Their team is experienced and has established infrastructure in handling crisis calls and the ability to effectively coordinate the deployment of care response teams to the right locations promptly and efficiently.

The ADAMHS Board of Cuyahoga County values the community’s feedback in this process and believes a successful pilot program requires the buy-in and input of the people it serves. We are creating a Care Committee to provide ongoing input and perspective of representative community members on program implementation to ADAMHS, the City of Cleveland Department of Public Health, and Frontline throughout the pilot program. 

The program is funded through a combination of public funds, grants, and other sources, with a focus on establishing a sustainable model that can be expanded based on the pilot’s success.

After the initial pilot, an assessment will be conducted to help determine how best to expand the program to other areas in the county, adapting the approach based on community feedback and data-driven insights.

The ADAMHS Board takes the feedback of the community seriously, and believes it is essential to the Care Response Pilot Program’s success. Every community is different, and the program needs to be tailor-made to fit the community's needs.

Throughout the pilot project, we will continue to host community meetings to hear from clients, family members, residents and providers so we can assess how the program is meeting the community’s needs and any adaptations that may be needed. In addition, clients and community members may provide general feedback on care response here.

To ensure the Care Response program is well-integrated and meets the specific needs of the community, the ADAMHS Board of Cuyahoga County has engaged in extensive collaboration with various city stakeholders. This includes:

• Community Meetings: Meetings to gather input and feedback from residents, helping shape the program’s development.

• Partnerships with Local Organizations: Collaborations with local healthcare providers, social service agencies, and community leaders to ensure the program aligns with existing services and community expectations.

• Collaboration with the City of Cleveland Public Health: Close coordination with the City of Cleveland Department of Public Health on the development and implementation of the  Care Response Pilot Program. 

• Public Information Campaigns: Broad visibility in the targeted zip codes to educate the public about the program’s goals, benefits, and details, ensuring broad awareness and understanding.

Should the pilot program prove successful, plans are in place to gradually expand the service to additional zip codes. This expansion will depend on the outcomes of the pilot, community feedback, and available funding. A careful assessment will guide the scaling process to ensure that the program maintains its effectiveness and aligns with broader community needs.

For job opportunities, please visit Frontline Services employment page using this link.