CLEVELAND — News 5 has been following through on mental health response in Cleveland for years now. In August of 2022, News 5 looked at a report that made a strong case for a strong case for a health-first approach in responding to mental health crises in Cleveland.
In September 2023, News 5 reported the Alcohol Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services Board, also known as the ADAMHS Board was beginning the process of creating a "care response pilot program." The program would put a mental health professional and a peer with lived experience trained to help folks experiencing mental health and addiction crises.
Now, in March 2024, the pilot teams are soon to be assembled and working in two Cleveland area codes: 44102 and 44105. The ADAMHS Board estimates the teams will be working by mid- to late summer in those zip codes.
If people in the 44102 and 44105 zip codes need to access the care response pilot team, they will be asked to contact 988. Brandi Herring lives in the 44102-zip code and has her entire life.
The ADAMHS Board said it targeted those areas because they are notably underserved when it comes to mental health and addiction resources.
"It trickles down you know to your children and your children's children, and now you have a community where everybody is just stuck because no one thinks that what they're doing is an issue," said Herring.
Herring thinks the program could benefit her neighbors: "Mental health, in general, is a crisis, but people just need to talk more and be honest about what they're going through."
The two-person team is unarmed and would respond instead of a police officer. Currently, in Cuyahoga County, the co-responder model serves more life-threatening situations, staffed with a mental health professional and a police officer.
The ADAMHS Board is looking for trained people with lived experience who are from the neighborhoods they will be serving.
"I think reliability is important when it comes to helping people. Knowing that someone has been through the same thing, even someone who looks like you I think it's important to have someone relatable," said Herring.
The Cleveland Area Rescue Employees or CARE Union has been advocating from the beginning to include paramedics on the two-person team.
"We sent a letter about a month ago. I also made public comment at the ADAMHS Board and County Council meeting, and afterwards, the ADAMHS Board said we'll follow up and talk with you, and we haven't heard anything from them," said Timothy Sommerfelt, President of the CARE Union.
The union sent a letter to the ADAMHS Board. CEO Scott Osiecki said adding an EMS professional is a conversation for the future.
"During this pilot program phase, we don't have that built in yet, but that's something that we are going to be talking about with the City of Cleveland as we move forward with this," said Osiecki.
"These teams aren't on the ground, yet I really hope that the ADAMHS Board, the City, that all the stakeholders re-evaluate how we're going to deploy these teams as we move forward with this pilot," said Sommerfelt.
The high number of mental health calls in the 44102 and 44105 zip codes highlights the need for any type of resource.
"There is hope for you, there's hope for all of us, us. I think if we think more in the collective than individual, that will help us progress more," said Herring.
The ADAMHS Board is hosting in-person meetings to give your feedback on what you would like to see the teams respond to and how. Frontline Services is contracting with the ADAMHS Board to staff 5 teams that will be available 24/7.
If you're interested in one of these positions, give Frontline Services a call: 216-623-6555.
