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which will examine the interventions and assessment methods utilized by the Pilot Program, in order to assist the Parties to better understand and most effectively support the population served through the Pilot Program. The Parties will share the costs for the Gardner Center Agreement as set forth below in Section 11.2 of this MOU. 3. Purpose or Scope of Work The Cities enter into this cooperative and reciprocal agreement with the County, acting through BHRS, for implementation of the Pilot Program to enhance each City’s response to community members in mental health crisis. In the event of a suspected mental health crisis within a community, once informed, the BHRS Clinician will respond to the scene, exercising their independent judgment and expertise and in collaboration with the City’s law enforcement staff. Law enforcement staff will also be dispatched to the scene. The goal of the immediate response will be to de-escalate the crisis and to support the safety of the individual in crisis, those around the individual, and all responding to the incident. The BHRS Clinician will then assess the person suspected to be in mental health crisis (“the client”) and determine the best course of action (e.g., temporary mandatory placement in a medical facility for psychiatric evaluation and treatment under Section 5150 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, referral for treatment, etc.). One of the goals of the Pilot Program is that clients in mental health crisis who come into contact with law enforcement receive early intervention to guide them toward appropriate health services. BHRS Clinicians assigned to the Pilot Program will have been trained in the range of available mental health resources both within BHRS and in the community and, together, the law enforcement/BHRS Clinician response team will decide on the best course of action and/or resource or program for the client. The County of San Mateo derives direct benefit from the implementation of this MOU, by way of, for example, increasing its ability to directly respond to community members in mental health crisis; enhancing response time for those in need of mental health services and resources; and creating a broader and more effective continuum of care that results in a decrease in justice system contacts. In an effort to achieve a healthy and integrated community, this MOU represents a collaboration among the Parties to jointly exercise their common powers to enhance community linkages and help stabilize and improve the health and well-being of persons experiencing mental health crisis. Important outcomes include, but are not limited to: residential stability, improved mental health, reduced use of acute and emergency services, and reduced contact with the criminal justice system.