18 - Laserfiche WebLink

program, but uniformed police respond to the scene first to stabilize and ensure public safety. Once the scene is safe, the program's clinical and medical professionals respond to the mental health crisis call. The Social Services Unit has two officers dedicated to homeless response in Roseville. The program also includes homeless advocates to assist with resources and a mental health practitioner to conduct mental health evaluations. The officers in this program do not respond to mental health calls for service with the mental health practitioner. Existing Pleasanton Mental Health Response The need for enhanced mental health services has long been recognized by policy makers in Pleasanton. The City's 2010 Youth Master Plan, 2012 Eastern Alameda County Human Services Needs Assessment, and the City's 2018 Human Needs Assessment Strategic Plan all identified mental health needs as an area deserving of attention and resources. The recommendation of this workgroup and staff is aligned with this prior work and elevates the level of importance in the community. Annually on average, the Pleasanton Police Department places approximately 350 individuals on 72 -hour psychiatric detentions (5150 Welfare & Institutions Code) due to an individual being a danger to themselves or others. Table 1 shows the four-year total of psychiatric evaluations regardless of the completion of a,5150 W&I application. The calls identified in Table 1 account for those where mental illness is known and does not account for others where mental illness may be a factor in the request for police services. Table 1: Total 5150 W&I Calls for Service 2017 2018 2019 2020 5150 Calls 1495 480 1426 326 After the initial mental health evaluation, no follow-up is conducted on these cases to determine if the individual needed additional services or treatment. This can result in reoccurring calls for service and the potential for escalation to a mental health crisis due to lack of continued mental health support. Officers also routinely contact individuals who are experiencing mental illness but may not meet the criteria for an emergency psychiatric detention. These include individuals living with mental illness, substance abuse tendencies, and other issues that may benefit from non -emergency intervention. Patrol officers have less time to invest in other community needs when responding to these urgent, yet non -safety, related calls. Officers also do not have the expertise or immediate access to resources to intervene appropriately in some of these situations nor the time to dedicate for an in-depth needs assessment. In addition to community calls, uniformed patrol officers also respond to medical facilities and mental health clinics to conduct 5150 W&I evaluations. Notably, the Page 4 of 11