TO: Committee of the Whole - Public Safety and Human Services
FROM: Mayor Angela Birney
DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR CONTACT(S):
|
Police |
Chief Darrell Lowe |
425-556-2521 |
DEPARTMENT STAFF:
|
Police |
Brian Coats |
Deputy Chief |
|
Police |
Cory James |
Communications Manager |
TITLE:
title
Memorandum of Understanding for Behavioral Health Crisis Intervention Services
OVERVIEW STATEMENT:
recommendation
The Police Department seeks authorization from Council to enter a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Crisis Connections to support the City’s 911 Diversion initiative. This partnership establishes a collaborative framework in which trained behavioral health specialists from Crisis Connections assist Redmond’s Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) by providing crisis intervention, information and referral services, and support for non-emergency behavioral health-related 911 calls.
The MOU outlines each party’s roles and responsibilities, including service delivery, data sharing, confidentiality protections, and collaborative operational procedures. By formalizing this agreement, the Police Department will enhance its ability to provide appropriate behavioral health responses, reduce reliance on emergency services for non-emergent situations, and improve outcomes for individuals experiencing behavioral health crises.
body
☒ Additional Background Information/Description of Proposal Attached
REQUESTED ACTION:
☐ Receive Information ☒ Provide Direction ☐ Approve
REQUEST RATIONALE:
• Relevant Plans/Policies:
N/A
• Required:
MOUs require Council authorization
• Council Request:
As part of the Police Department’s broader alternative response initiative, Council has expressed interest in increasing the likelihood that calls involving individuals in crisis are directed to trained mental health professionals (MHPS) rather than routed through traditional emergency response channels.
• Other Key Facts:
N/A
OUTCOMES:
Implementation of the 911 Diversion MOU will significantly enhance the Police Department’s ability to deliver an alternative response to behavioral health-related 911 calls. Through this partnership, Crisis Connections will provide trained behavioral health specialists who can receive warm transfers from Redmond’s Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) and deliver telephonic intervention, support, and referral services for callers experiencing behavioral health crises. This improves access to appropriate care, reduces reliance on police and EMS for non-emergent behavioral health incidents, and strengthens coordination between 911 and behavioral health systems.
The accompanying Data Sharing Agreement (DSA) further supports these outcomes by ensuring that both parties can exchange the limited, necessary data required to monitor, assess, and improve diversion operations. The DSA outlines what information may be shared, such as total mental or behavioral health-related calls, calls transferred to Crisis Connections, and calls transferred back that resulted in dispatch, and establishes strict confidentiality, storage, transmission, access-control, and non-disclosure requirements. These provisions ensure that all data are handled securely, used solely for the purposes of the diversion program, and protected in accordance with state and federal law.
Together, the MOU and DSA provide the operational and governance structures needed to expand diversion capacity, improve service quality, and achieve better outcomes for individuals in crisis while reducing unnecessary emergency responses.
COMMUNITY/STAKEHOLDER OUTREACH AND INVOLVEMENT:
• Timeline (previous or planned):
N/A
• Outreach Methods and Results:
N/A
• Feedback Summary:
N/A
BUDGET IMPACT:
Total Cost:
This is a King County funded program with no costs incurred by the City.
Approved in current biennial budget: ☐ Yes ☐ No ☒ N/A
Budget Offer Number:
228
Budget Priority:
Safe and Resilient
Other budget impacts or additional costs: ☐ Yes ☐ No ☒ N/A
If yes, explain:
N/A
Funding source(s):
General fund
Budget/Funding Constraints:
N/A
☐ Additional budget details attached
COUNCIL REVIEW:
Previous Contact(s)
|
Date |
Meeting |
Requested Action |
|
N/A |
Item has not been presented to Council |
N/A |
Proposed Upcoming Contact(s)
|
Date |
Meeting |
Requested Action |
|
7/7/2026 |
Business Meeting |
Approve |
Time Constraints:
N/A
ANTICIPATED RESULT IF NOT APPROVED:
If the agreement is not approved, the Police Department will not enter into the MOU or Data Sharing Agreement with Crisis Connections and will continue handling behavioral health-related 911 calls under existing practices. This would prevent the diversion of appropriate calls to trained behavioral health specialists and limit opportunities to improve coordination, data sharing, and alternative response options.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A: Redmond 911 Diversion MOU
Attachment B: Redmond Data Sharing Agreement
Attachment C: 911 Diversion Dashboard