Police–Clinician Crisis Teams in California: How Counties Are Reducing Psychiatric Holds

The state of California is revamping its mental health emergency response by moving away from traditional law enforcement-only interventions. For decades, the standard response to a mental health crisis often led to an involuntary 5150 psychiatric hold, which can be both traumatizing and costly. 

Today, many California counties are turning to police-clinician crisis teams to provide a more compassionate, recovery-focused approach. These co-responder mental health programs pair trained mental health professionals with officers to stabilize people in the field.¹ 

Prioritizing de-escalation and connection to ongoing services, these partnerships are succeeding at finding alternatives to police mental health calls that keep state residents safe and out of hospitals and jails. 

This article will explore the rise of co-responder models in California, along with: 

• Why the move to police-clinician crisis teams in California is important
• The goals of stabilization in the community
• Proven outcomes in counties across California
• How 988 and Medi-Cal work to expand crisis services

The Rise of the Co-Responder Model in California

Across the state, police-clinician crisis response teams are phasing in traditional patrol-first responses with unique and specialized care for those in need. The shift centers around the co-responder model, where a licensed mental health clinician and law enforcement official respond to people experiencing a crisis situation.¹ 

The primary goal of these law enforcement/mental health partnerships is to safely and successfully de-escalate a situation without relying on force or forced hospitalizations. Here’s a breakdown of what the process typically looks like:

• A plainclothes officer and licensed clinician respond together, in a non-traditional vehicle, to reduce the stigma and anxiety that can be triggered by a standard police patrol car. 
• Officers work to secure the scene to ensure everyone’s safety as clinicians work on crisis intervention to determine the causes of the distress. 
• If no crime has been committed, the law enforcement presence is minimized so the clinician can provide immediate safety planning and connection to mental health services in the local community.

The Benefits for California Communities

Mental health first responder programs provide both immediate crisis relief and a bridge to long-term stability and resources. Clinicians can coordinate directly with community partners to provide essential follow-up care and medication monitoring. This is a proactive approach that can prevent the revolving door of hospitalizations by addressing important underlying needs. 

These programs also offer major financial advantages to taxpayers. For example, by successfully diverging over 370 involuntary holds over 24 months, San Mateo County estimated annual savings between $300,000 and $800,000.²

Additionally, these co-responder programs help improve public safety by further freeing up law enforcement resources. Specialized mental health teams help patrol officers return to standard duty faster. This makes sure the person in crisis and the community at large are both receiving the most appropriate and effective response.

Proven Reductions in Psychiatric Holds in California

In California, a 5150 refers to the section of the Welfare and Institutions Code that allows a person experiencing a mental health crisis to be involuntarily detained for up to 72 hours. This may happen if they are a danger to themselves or to others, or are disabled to the extent that they can’t take care of themselves.³ 

Intended as a safety measure, these holds can also entail extremely long wait times in emergency rooms and be traumatic for the recipient. 

Historically, police response without clinical support would often utilize involuntary psychiatric holds as a default safety measure and to try to help someone access care. However, research indicates that a major portion of these holds is likely unnecessary. For instance, in Alameda County, data revealed up to 85% of people placed on a 5150 hold don’t meet the medical criteria for such an acute hospitalization.⁴ 

California counties are integrating behavioral health crisis intervention as a first point of contact, working to successfully reduce unnecessary holds. Trained professionals can conduct assessments on site and provide resources for voluntary treatment, addiction treatment, or other less-invasive levels of care. 

Some examples of these interventions from across the state include the following.

Examples of Behavioral Health Crisis Interventions:

• One of the nation’s oldest response programs, Los Angeles’ SMART program keeps several beds in reserve to divert high-risk individuals from jail into clinical care.⁵ 
• The Community Wellness and Crisis Response Team (CWCRT) in San Mateo County saw a 16.5% reduction in involuntary holds during its pilot phase.⁶ 
• The ‘Anyone, Anywhere, Anytime’ initiative in Contra Costa County led to a 27% drop in 5150 holds. 
• Contra Costa programs also reported a 41% reduction in standard officer responses to mental health calls, allowing them to focus on high-priority crime instead.⁷ 
• Across many jurisdictions, mobile crisis response teams have successfully diverted over 50% of their calls away from the emergency department and toward a lower-level, community-based point of care.⁸ 

The Importance of 988

The launch of the nationwide 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline has provided a ‘no-wrong-door’ approach for people in distress. Unlike 911, which is designed to dispatch law enforcement, 988 focuses on resolving crisis circumstances via the least invasive means possible. 

People calling 988 are connected to a network of trained counselors in California who can provide support and de-escalation 24 hours a day. Research shows that around 95% to 98% of calls to the lifeline are successfully resolved over the phone via safety planning and referrals to community-based resources. 

For California, the passage of AB 988 has further strengthened and solidified this system by providing ongoing, sustainable funding for local call centers and integrating them with mobile crisis teams across the state. 

Further, when a telephone-based intervention isn’t enough, 988 counselors can send mental health teams to the person’s location, working to avoid the potential trauma of a police response.

Why Reducing Involuntary Holds Is Important For Recovery 

While it’s true that a 5150 hold was created to create safety, the ‘5150 clock’ that begins at detainment can also create unintended consequences for the person in crisis. Moreover, it can also do so for the healthcare system at large. 

For many, being placed on a psychiatric hold can lead to long-term distrust of the medical and mental health systems, growing a reluctance to seek help in the future. The urgency to reduce these holds is being driven by data showing that involuntary hospitalizations can often be over-utilized. 

For example, as referenced above, many placed on a 5150 hold didn’t actually meet the criteria for it: being a danger to themselves, to other people, or exhibiting a grave disability. They sometimes experience ER boarding, or being placed in the emergency room for days on end, waiting for a psychiatric bed that may not even be necessary. 

Shifting toward alternatives to police mental health calls can provide stabilization efforts that simultaneously honor a person’s desires with their clinical needs. The focus on a warm hand-off to community-based services keeps them in the community and maintains their support network. This can make them more likely to engage in recovery services that can help prevent a next crisis. 

Find Stabilization Care at A Mission For Michael

While it’s great that California has made great strides in reducing psychiatric holds, you don’t have to wait for a state-funded team to respond to find your path to stability. At A Mission For Michael, we know that a mental health crisis is a medical emergency that requires dedicated, immediate clinical attention. 

Our welcoming facilities provide you or your loved one with a compassionate alternative to the traditional hospital setting, simultaneously focusing on rapid stabilization and long-term recovery. 

The recovery journey deserves dignity, and it’s our mission to ensure that every client receives the right care at the right time for them. Contact us today to find out how we can help. 

Frequently Asked Questions About Police–Clinician Crisis Teams in California

If you have any questions or concerns about police-clinician crisis teams in California, the following answers to FAQs on the topic may help provide extra clarity.

How Do These Teams Help Reduce Psychiatric Holds?

Historically, police used 5150 holds as more of a default safety measure because they lacked access to other options for care. 

Clinicians on police-clinician crisis teams are able to conduct formal risk assessments on site and can coordinate care based on the person’s unique needs. Field-based stabilization keeps people in their homes whenever possible, keeping them close to their natural supports and providing new avenues for long-term, ongoing care.  

Are There Other Alternatives to Police-Based Mental Health Calls?

Yes, many counties in California and across the nation are also investing in community-based teams of clinicians and peer specialists that can respond to calls without any police presence. These teams are designed to handle calls when there is no risk of safety or violence. 

This model, similar to police/clinician partnerships, focuses on diverting people in need of assistance (but who don’t meet the requirements of a 5150 hold) to the appropriate care. This can free up important resources and build trust with vulnerable populations who might be fearful of the police. 

What Happens if a Team Can’t Stabilize Someone in the Field?

If the person being assessed remains a danger to themselves or to others, the team can still facilitate a transport to a specialized facility designed for a mental health crisis. 

The clinician often remains involved throughout the process to ensure a transition of care. Plus, even when a transport is required, the goal remains the same: providing quality treatment in the least restrictive environment possible to promote faster recovery.

Who Is Eligible for These Services?

Eligibility is usually based on the nature of the emergency and is sometimes limited by location, as not every county in California has implemented these law enforcement partnerships. 

Having said that, these crisis interventions, when available, can respond to children and adults, regardless of their background or insurance status. 

References

1. NAMI (2025, November 5). Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Programs.  https://www.nami.org/advocacy-at-nami/crisis-intervention/crisis-intervention-team-cit-programs/ 
2. Stamford University (2021). Evaluating a Community Wellness and Crisis Response Team pilot program. John W. Gardner Center for Youth and Their Communities. https://gardnercenter.stanford.edu/project/evaluating-community-wellness-and-crisis-response-team-pilot-program 
3. NAMI Sonoma County (2021). Involuntary Hospitalization (5150) – NAMI Sonoma County. Namisonomacounty.org. https://namisonomacounty.org/hospitalization/
4. Moulin, A., & Jones, K. (2014). The Alameda Model: An Effort Worth Emulating. Western Journal of Emergency Medicine, 15(1), 7–8. https://doi.org/10.5811/westjem.2013.11.20610 
5. Kenneth Mejia, CPA City Controller of Los Angeles (2020). On The Sideline: Assessing LAPD’s Mental Evaluation Unit & Smart Co-Response Model. Los Angeles City Controller. https://controller.lacity.gov/meu 
6. Dee, T. S., & Pyne, J. (2025). Emergency mental health co-responders reduce involuntary psychiatric detentions in the USA. Nature Human Behaviour. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-025-02339-7 
7. Mihalovich, C. (2025, December 23). She goes to police calls in a Prius. It’s part of a new approach to mental health emergencies. CalMatters. https://calmatters.org/justice/2025/12/police-mental-health-emergencies/ 
8. Wayne State University (2023, June 2). Responding to a mental health crisis in the community can increase care, CBHJ study finds. Center for Behavioral Health and Justice. https://behaviorhealthjustice.wayne.edu/news/responding-to-a-mental-health-crisis-in-the-community-can-increase-care-cbhj-study-finds-53528