Crisis Response

C13 - Support Team Assisted Response (STAR) — An Alternative Crisis Response Model

Tuesday, April 12, 2022

11:30 AM – 12:30 PM

Location: Gaylord National, Potomac 4-6

Track Sponsored By:

Workshop Presenter(s)

CR

Chris Richardson, LCSW

Associate Director, Criminal Justice Services
Mental Health Center of Denver
Denver, Colorado

Slides Handouts
JF

Jay Flynn, JD

Vice President Adult Recovery Services
Mental Health Center of Denver
Denver, Colorado

Support Team Assisted Response, or STAR, is an innovative Denver-based program that serves as an alternative crisis response to 911 calls that present with substance use and mental health issues. The STAR mobile unit consists of a paramedic and mental health clinician who respond to low-risk calls that do not require police assistance to assist with immediate de-escalation, while also providing avenues to long term supports and care. Development, implementation and ongoing community support allow Denver to be a pioneer in behavioral health response and provide a successful fourth arm of support to crisis response system.

Learning Objectives:

Initial process and leg work required to set up a civilian-based response prior to launch, including community support, first responder buy-in and ongoing discussions.
Logistics and data-informed pilot: Building the pilot launch area through data, types of calls and why, coordinating with department of safety and 911 and what information to collect when in the field and how.
Contracting to build relationships that are sustainable through SOW, MOU and data-sharing agreements.
Lessons learned during pilot and how data informed growth for expansion and to larger demographic area.
Community and buy-in: Navigating politics, philosophies and relationships related to building a civilian response.