Does Non-Police Crisis Response Substitute for Policing?

Police-led behavioral health crisis response can result in arrest, use of force, or entry into jail for behaviors that are a result of untreated or inadequately treated mental illness. This dynamic contributes to the criminalization of behavioral health conditions. In response, policymakers have increasingly invested in mobile crisis services—teams of behavioral health professionals who respond directly in the community to individuals experiencing acute crises. These services are intended to provide stabilization, de-escalation, and linkage to treatment without resorting to arrest. Public health scholar Andrew Anderson and economist Brigham Walker will examine whether an increase in mobile crisis capacity meaningfully reduces law enforcement involvement. They will analyze Medicaid claims, law enforcement reporting, and Census data for their study.