Fiscal Note
The 2021 Adopted Operating Budget established a pilot Crisis Response Team program in the Fire Department-Fire Operations budget which will include some combination of Madison Fire Department (MFD) Community Paramedics and contracted mental health providers.
Dane County will provide two Crisis Workers and a Supervisor to work with MFD’s Crisis Response Team through a contract with Journey Mental Health Center, Inc. (Journey). The City will reimburse Dane County for a portion of these costs. A resolution authorizing the agreement between the City and Dane County (Legistar File #64586) is in process.
This resolution authorizes a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between MFD and Journey establishing the operational and staffing protocols for the Crisis Workers and Supervisor. All costs associated with these contracted health providers including transportation, equipment, logistical and supply obligations will be borne by Journey, with the exception of office space which will be provided by MFD with existing resources. No appropriation is required.
Title
Authorizing a memorandum of understanding between Madison Fire Department and Journey Mental Health Center, Inc. to support the Crisis Response Team program.
Body
PREAMBLE
The proposed resolution authorizes a memorandum of understanding between the City of Madison and Journey Mental Health Center, Inc. (Journey) for one year, with additional one-year extensions if agreed to by both parties. The Crisis Response Team is a pilot program to respond to behavioral health emergencies with a combination of Community Paramedics and Crisis Workers. All costs associated with the crisis workers will be borne by Journey, with the exception of providing space which will be provided by the City with existing resources. There is no financial impact.
WHEREAS, the City supports efforts to divert individuals with mental illness from the criminal justice system and recognizes the importance of a coordinated mental health response from experts in the field as essential to diverting individuals with mental illness from the criminal justice system and connecting them to needed mental health treatment resources; and,
WHEREAS, co-responder public safety-mental health collaboration programs have emerged as a best practice nationally and mental health clinicians housed within city agencies to provide a more consistent collaborative field response has been shown to improve outcomes for individuals with mental illness; and,
WHEREAS, Journey and the City have jointly determined that it is in the best interest of the Madison community to continue a proactive co-responder program.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Mayor and City Clerk are authorized to sign a memorandum of understanding with Journey Mental Health Center, Inc. that establishes the transportation, equipment, logistical and supply obligations, as well as operational and staffing protocols, for certified clinical crisis worker co-responders as described above from March 1, 2021 to February 28, 2022.
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the Mayor and City Clerk are authorized to sign annual renewal memorandum of understandings for the next three years, if said memorandum of understandings have been reviewed and approved by the City Attorney and the City Risk Manager.