ACLU Webinar on Alternative Response to 911 Calls

The Santa Cruz County Chapter of the ACLU of Northern California is pleased to announce an educational webinar on an alternative response to 911 calls. Law enforcement leaders and activists agree that many non-violent calls should be responded to by trained mental health and social worker professionals, instead of law enforcement officers. This webinar is designed to educate the public about the need and possibility for change and to move the county closer to making that change.

We will begin by discussing the mobile mental health services currently available to the community.

* Stephanie French, Operations Division Manager of the Santa Cruz Regional 911 system, will present how the 911 system works and will reflect on changes that could coordinate alternative responses.
* Sarah Leonard, Executive Director of the Mental Health Client Action Network, will discuss her experience with the current system of a case worker responding with law enforcement to people in crisis, and what change is needed
* Ashley Tran, Suicide Crisis Line Coordinator for Suicide Prevention Service of the Central Coast, will discuss her views about how the current system works for her clients, and what change is needed.
* Ben Adam Climer, formerly of CAHOOTS (Crisis Assistance Helping Out On The Streets) in Eugene, Oregon, and now a CAHOOTS consultant working with California cities wishing to implement a similar program, will demonstrate how teams of EMTs and crisis counselors have responded to non-emergency calls for Eugene, saving that community millions of dollars per year. He will also present a financial model of how that kind of program would work in Santa Cruz.

After the presentations, the panelists will respond to questions posted by attendees.

Register at: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_m4PGnUKRRWCqdVdvdSBWjg