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REV: 01-10-25 LR <br />The Pilot CWCRT Program has demonstrated reduction in psychiatric emergency <br />services (PES) admission and improved linkage connection to needed on-going <br />treatment services for the community members in crisis, as reported by John W. <br />Gardner Center for Youth and Their Communities of the Stanford University Graduate <br />School of Education (Gardner Center), based on their evaluation study examining the <br />interventions and assessment methods utilized by the Pilot CWCRT Program <br />participant cities in supporting the population served through the Pilot CWCRT Program <br />during the pilot period. <br />This Agreement will continue the CWCRT Program in the Cities by continuously <br />providing one full-time mental health clinician in the City Police Departments offering <br />first response mental health crisis services as described herein. The Agreement <br />addresses the roles and responsibilities between the Cities and the County. <br />3. Purpose or Scope of Work <br />The Cities enter into this cooperative and reciprocal Agreement with the County, acting <br />through BHRS, for continuous provision of the CWCRT Program to enhance each City’s <br />response to community members in mental health crisis. In the event of a suspected <br />mental health crisis within a community, once informed, the mental health clinician will <br />respond to the scene together with the City law enforcement officer, exercising their <br />independent judgment and expertise and in collaboration with the City’s law <br />enforcement staff. The goal of the immediate co-response will be to de-escalate the <br />crisis and to support the safety of the individual in crisis, those around the individual, <br />and all responding to the incident. The mental health clinician will then assess the <br />person suspected to be in mental health crisis (the “client”) and determine the best <br />course of action (e.g., temporary mandatory placement in a medical facility for <br />psychiatric evaluation and treatment under Section 5150 of the Welfare and Institutions <br />Code, referral for treatment, etc.). One of the goals of the CWCRT Program is that <br />clients in mental health crisis who come into contact with law enforcement receive early <br />intervention to guide them toward appropriate health services. The mental health <br />clinicians will have been trained in the range of available mental health resources both <br />within BHRS and in the community and, together, the law enforcement/mental health <br />clinician response team will decide on the best course of action and/or resource or <br />program for the client. <br />The County of San Mateo derives direct benefit from the implementation of this <br />Agreement, by way of, for example, increasing its ability to directly respond to <br />community members in mental health crisis; providing Medi-Cal reimbursable services <br />to County clients; enhancing response time for those in need of mental health services <br />and resources; and creating a broader and more effective continuum of care that results <br />in a decrease in justice system contacts. <br />In an effort to achieve a healthy and integrated community, this Agreement represents <br />a collaboration among the Parties to jointly exercise their common powers to enhance <br />community linkages and help stabilize and improve the health and well-being of persons <br />ATTY/AGR.2025.004/BHRS of San Mateo County Health (Community Wellness Crisis Response Team MOU) (Page 2 of 17) <br />6.F. - Page 5 of 20 <br />176