Seattle’s first team of CARE “Dual Dispatch” responders (Image: City of Seattle)

Seattle has launched its pilot pairing social workers with cops responding to day-to-day mental health and drug crisis 911 calls but, for now, there won’t be any “dual dispatch” responses on Capitol Hill.

Mayor Bruce Harrell announced the start of service this week in the $1.5 million pilot hoped to grow into a “third public safety department” joining police and firefighters in protecting the city with welfare checks and help for people suffering mental crisis and addiction.

Its initial focus will be downtown, “including the Chinatown-International District and SODO,” operating from 11 AM to 11 PM, “a schedule that matches where and when the most frequent calls related to mental health crisis occur,” the city says. Continue reading →