Mobile crisis response programs get new measures of their impact on police calls

Billy Odell Tucker-Robinson Founder & Host — Banking With Billy Network • Intelligence Network • Data Science • AI Research • World News
Published: 2026-09-29T20:05:50.693Z • Permanent link

New York-based Mobile Crisis Response Network (MCRN), a non-profit organization, has partnered with the City of Los Angeles to implement a comprehensive crisis response program. The program utilizes AI-powered chatbots and human responders to address mental health and substance use-related calls from 911 dispatchers. According to MCRN's CEO, Dr. Sarah Johnson, the program aims to reduce the number of calls that result in arrests and hospitalizations by 30% within the next two years.

Data from the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) shows that between 2018 and 2022, the number of calls related to mental health and substance use increased by 25%. MCRN's program has been designed to address this growing trend by providing an alternative to traditional police responses. The program's chatbots use natural language processing (NLP) to assess the caller's situation and dispatch human responders who can provide crisis intervention and connect callers with local resources.

According to a report by the Urban Institute, the use of crisis response programs like MCRN's has been shown to reduce recidivism rates and improve outcomes for individuals with mental health and substance use disorders. The report also notes that the programs have the potential to reduce the burden on traditional emergency services and reduce costs associated with law enforcement responses.

The implementation of MCRN's program has significant implications for the Data Sources domain, particularly for companies that provide crisis response solutions and research communities studying the effectiveness of such programs. Companies such as Teladoc Health and Doctor on Demand, which offer virtual crisis response services, may see an increase in demand for their products and services as more cities adopt similar programs.

Research communities, such as those studying the impact of crisis response programs on recidivism rates and mental health outcomes, will also be interested in the data generated by MCRN's program. The data will provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of crisis response programs and inform the development of future programs. Additionally, the data will be used to evaluate the impact of the program on the City of Los Angeles's emergency services and public safety.

The implementation of MCRN's program is part of a larger trend towards more innovative approaches to crisis response. Cities such as Denver and Seattle have already implemented similar programs, and other cities are likely to follow suit. This trend is driven in part by the growing recognition of the need for more effective and efficient crisis response systems, particularly in the context of increasing mental health and substance use rates.