“The Specialized Care Unit (SCU) project aims to respond to mental health and substance use crises without the involvement of law enforcement.” Call (510) 948-0075.
–City of Berkeley Health, Housing, and Community Services Department
Sept. 5, 2023:
The most significant outcome to date from Berkeley’s Reimagining Public Safety process launched as a pilot project earlier this month.
In our March 2023 edition, Berkeley Speaks gave an outline of the SCU in the article, “Specialized Care Unit: a 24/7 Mobile Mental Health Service to begin this summer (2023).”
The September 1 press release from the project sponsor, the Health, Housing, and Community Services Department of the City of Berkeley (HHCS), appears below, along with a follow-up dated September 14.
Berkeley Speaks also had the opportunity to participate in a pre-launch Q & A session with HHCS Director Dr. Lisa Warhuus and her staff on August 16, 2023. Here are some of the points that HHCS clarified in this session, as well as updates from what we reported in March. See https://berkeleyca.gov/safety-health/mental-health/crisis-services for the City’s SCU website. That site also describes other available mental and behavioral health resources in Berkeley
Q: How many staff members have been trained to run the SCU?
A: Bonita House has hired five people ready to provide services beginning September 5, and another training academy started August 21.
Q: Does Bonita House still plan to run the SCU 24/7 on ten-hour shifts?
A: Getting to 24/7 is definitely the goal. Hours will be limited to begin: from 6am to 4pm, seven days a week. We will ramp up from there to 24/7. The need is great, so we didn’t want to wait until we were fully staffed to begin service. Also, the smaller pilot is an opportunity for the SCU to learn while serving.
Q: Will the SCU crisis vans be wheelchair accessible?
A: Initially, we will rent vans while the fully accessorized permanent vans are on order. Once purchased, probably within a couple months, the permanent vans will have wheelchair access.
Q: How can people contact the SCU?
A: The ten-digit number for the SCU is (510) 948-0075. If you or someone you know is undergoing a mental-health or substance-use related crisis and needs assistance, call (510) 948-0075 to reach the Specialized Care Unit.
Q: If I call the ten-digit number for the SCU, will the police also be involved?
A: The cases where the SCU needs police intervention will be very rare. Non-police engagement in SCU calls is the absolute priority. Protocols are being worked on with the police and fire departments. For example, the question of how to handle situations involving weapons must be considered thoughtfully. We’ll ask ourselves the question: what is a weapon? There have been multiple cases where a person holding a kitchen knife has been seen as life-threatening, to tragic results. The reality is that weaponry is situational; a stick could be more dangerous than a knife depending on the person’s inclination. We want to set the bar as high as possible and prudent. We will do an after-action review.
We are really devoted to making this the model that the community asked for. Unlike the mobile clinic [also operating under the HHCS umbrella], we will not be shy about going into somewhat risky situations. For their part, the police are committed to standing down when possible.
Q: What is the relationship between the SCU and the persons it serves?
A: Folks can refuse service at any time as long as they are not danger to themselves or others. If staff do observe dangerous behavior, they will call 911.
There will be no charge if people call the SCU. Staff may ask for medical insurance information, but for statistical purposes only; we’ll never bill.
Q: Who is the SCU for?
A: The SCU is for everyone, regardless of economic status, or where you live in the city, even if you do not live in the city; for those who are housed and those who are unhoused.
Berkeley Speaks poses three questions for community members to consider.
Q: Why was it necessary to establish the Specialized Care Unit in Berkeley?
The SCU program materials state it this way: “The SCU model provides a new option for those better served by a non-police response. A dedicated response unit for mental health, behavioral health, and substance use emergencies will also help to build community trust and increase the likelihood that someone will call for help when they are in a crisis.”
Q: What is a “pilot?” Is this initially limited scale prudent, or is it overly cautious? How is it helpful to reducing risk?
A good definition of a pilot project is “an initial small-scale implementation that is used to prove the viability of a project idea. The pilot project enables an organization to manage the risk of a new idea and identify any deficiencies before substantial resources are committed.”
Some could argue for an immediate and fully staffed implementation of the SCU. They would argue that the community need for crisis services is great, and so is the risk of armed police officers being responsible for mental/behavioral crises that are stressful, though not violent or criminal.
That is a reasonable concern. On the first days of the SCU, with only daytime hours covered and one van operating, there will certainly be missed opportunities to serve people in crisis.
And yet we must also bear in mind the social environment in which the city is standing up the SCU project. Although there is no formal opposition to the perfectly reasonable idea of meeting mental health crises with mental health professional services, concerns about public safety are like a tinderbox. It sometimes feels that for some, any solution to safety concerns that is not police-based is suspect. Even famously liberal Berkeley is impacted by the national movement to resurrect the discredited “war on crime.”
If a premature launch, or one expanded beyond the City’s capacity to manage it, without the necessary training, protocols, or resources, results in a tragic outcome, the political impact on the whole Reimagining public safety program could be devastating.
Q: What issues are unresolved as the implementation begins?
HHCS Director Lisa Warhuus has described the SCU ramp-up phase as a learning experience for the team. She has also clearly stated her commitment to stay engaged with community stakeholders throughout the process.
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Here are a few issues that would be important for community members to keep their eyes on as the pilot proceeds.
- Handoffs with the police department. The protocols and the SCU’s experience will be closely reviewed.
- Ramp-up plans. The specifics and the timeline will probably be quite fluid, and community input will be vital.
- Where to take clients for continuing services, that is neither incarceration nor a medical model of treatment for mental or behavioral health issues. The lack of defined resources could quickly become a stumbling point if not resolved.
- Impact on other CBOs providing overlapping services (particularly budget and experienced staff).
- Assess labor issues involved in transferring services from unionized City staff to non-union external agencies.
Sign at Albany Bulb
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Press release from the Health, Housing, and Community Services Department of the City of Berkeley (HHCS)
Specialized Care Unit (SCU) Ramp-Up Launch: September 5, 2023
As mentioned during the Specialized Care Unit Community Dialogue on August 16, the SCU will be starting in a ramp-up launch phase on Tuesday, September 5 at 8am. The SCU will operate during this ramp-up period from 8am-4pm, Tuesday through Friday. The SCU is available to anyone in Berkeley.
Community members who are experiencing or witnessing a crisis can call (510) 948-0075 to reach the Specialized Care Unit. Common crisis symptoms may include inability to calm down, depression, thoughts of self-harm, and/or substance use related concerns.
The SCU care provider, Bonita House, Incorporated, continues to work on hiring additional staff to build towards operating at full 24/7 capacity. As the SCU is able to expand their hours, updates will be provided to this listserv and on the City’s website. The SCU is Berkeley’s first non-police crisis response team to respond to mental health and substance use-related crises.
The Road to Implementation (2020 – Now)
After many years of community advocacy, and in response to the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police in May 2020, a conversation emerged about reimagining public safety. As a part of this broader initiative, the Mayor and City Council approved the creation of a Specialized Care Unit to respond to behavioral health crises without the direct involvement of police.
Designing the SCU has been a collaborative effort led by the Department of Health, Housing, and Community Services (HHCS) in close partnership with the SCU Steering Committee, which includes City staff and community members. The City worked with a consultant, Resource Development Associates to conduct extensive community outreach to create the SCU. The design recommendations and accompanying analysis were approved by City Council in Spring 2022, paving the way for a competitive process for a community organization to become the SCU provider. Bonita House was selected as the SCU provider in December 2022.
You can read the consultant’s reports, and the accompanying analysis from the Steering Committee at these links below:
- Crisis Response Models
- Mental Health Crisis Response Services & Stakeholder Perspectives
- Specialized Care Unit Crisis Response Recommendations
- Steering Committee Analysis on the RDA Recommendations
Stay Updated about the SCU
To continue receiving updates about the Specialized Care Unit, including information about expanding hours of operation as well as upcoming Community Dialogues, please make sure to sign up for the email list here.
If you have questions about the SCU program, please email HHCS@berkeleyca.gov.
HHCS released a second statement on September 14.
This release described more of how the SCU will operate. Here are excerpts:
People in Berkeley suffering a mental health or substance use crisis – or those seeking to help them – now have another option to get in-person professional support besides calling 911 and directly involving law enforcement.
With one phone call, trained staff will conduct an initial intake, assess whether there are immediate medical or safety concerns, and evaluate the crisis.
If there are no emergency medical concerns or potentially lethal weapons, the call taker will send the Specialized Care Unit – a team comprised of a peer specialist, a mental health clinician, and an emergency medical technician.
This team will listen, learn, and respond to those in crisis, offering transportation, connections to services, or safety planning as needed.
Team will try to guide person to stable path
Someone might seek help from the Specialized Care Unit for a variety of reasons:
- Thoughts of suicide or self-harm
- Substance use concerns
- Depression
- Unable to calm down (anxiety)
- Dramatic mood changes
After reaching the client, the team will first try to de-escalate the crisis and determine whether the person needs immediate medical help that might require paramedic support, such as evidence of a heart attack, stroke, or broken arm.
They will then continue to assess and stabilize the crisis, understand what the client says they need, develop a post-crisis plan, and assist with next steps.
If the person in need is threatening self-harm or suicide, the team will put together a safety plan, identify supports, and guide the person to a path of stability. If the situation involves imminent harm, local paramedics may become involved.
Someone needing to come down out of a drug-induced state might be transported to a nearby sobering center. Others might need transport to a housing navigation center or other community service provider.
The ultimate goal is to guide and transport people to post-crisis resources in a caring and compassionate way.
Team will also do active outreach
When not responding to calls, the team will also be doing active outreach. They might visit high-traffic areas. They’ll distribute flyers about this new service to a broad range of community partners.
It will take time to spread the word. You can help, too. You can print, email, or hand out flyers to those you know.
If you, or someone you want to help, is experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis – and is seeking a non-law enforcement response – call (510) 948-0075.
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To read the full press release, and get further resources, visit https://berkeleyca.gov/community-recreation/news/new-program-launches-non-police-mental-health-crisis-response