September 2023 Community Safety Department Update

The Community Safety Department is a fully funded City department that exists outside of the traditional scope of public safety. Our mission is to provide residents with an alternative police response that will prioritize issues of mental and behavioral health in some of our most vulnerable communities. For this work, our department is guided by the following values:

1. We are continuously learning, evolving and reimagining our approach in order to best meet the needs of the community we serve. We embrace a growth mindset and value curiosity, humility, and our shared humanity;
   
   
2. We commit to living restorative practices such as building empathy, compassion, trust and mutual respect in all we do;
   
   
3. We center relationships, partnerships, authentic collaboration and joy in our work. We are guided by the wisdom, insights, and experiences of those who came before us and those who are doing the work today to build solutions community-wide. We are intentionally laying groundwork for the future we envision;
   
   
4. We are consciously not reproducing systems of oppression. We aim to create equitable, non-racist, and non-discriminatory ways of serving our community;
   
   
5. We acknowledge the historical implications of the criminal legal system and the harm it has done to our communities. With this understanding, we value the dignity and humanity of all people.

The full-time staffing of the CSD includes Liz Speakman, LICSW, Director; Michele Scott, Program Coordinator; and Kara Blue, our new Administrative Coordinator. Marie Mathieu (Clinician) and Niko Emack (Communication and Community Engagement) continue to support the development of our department as consultants. Additionally, we’ve hired six Crisis Responders and two licensed clinicians. This group will comprise our Community Assistance Response and Engagement (C.A.R.E.) Team who will begin responding to a variety of 911 call codes this winter. Together, with input from behavioral health experts in the community, we put together a comprehensive list of subjects ranging from technical training in CPR and sharps disposal to interpersonal development in topics like conflict mediation and harm reduction. Our responders will also be equipped with knowledge around issues of suicidality, gender violence, homelessness, and boundary setting, to name a few. In addition to the classroom work, our responders will be getting hands-on experience in the field, going on ride-alongs with First Step, Pro EMS, and the Cambridge Police. Training began on September 11,2023 and will run through November, 2023.

Our coverage plan currently includes a model for two teams –– three staff per team –– which includes two Crisis Responders and one Clinical Coordinator (Team A: Mon-8 am-7 pm, T/W/Th 8 am-5:30 pm & Team B: T/W/Th 12-9:30 pm Fri 10:30-9:30 pm). Two additional responders will be primarily focused on follow up care and providing back up coverage for the CARE teams. We expect the teams will spend December, January, and February getting familiar with the community through outreach, shadowing, and support for places like the Library and Warming Center. We are aiming to launch the 9-1-1 response in March 2024. The call types that we are poised to respond to are as follows:

• Check person – Report of welfare checks when no crimes are reported or suspected (e.g. a loved one calls that they have been unable to reach the resident or when a provider calls because the person missed their appointment);
• Drinking in Public - Reports of intoxicated individuals/homeless in public places when there is no crime or safety issue to report;
• Notify Citizen - Delivering emergency/death notification messages;
• Psych/Mental Health – Non-suicidal and alert (with first party verification) OMEGA/Referral for mental health resources (Psych/Mental Health Conditions/Suicide Attempt/Abnormal Behavior 25O1) These calls are already being referred to 988/BHHL or CHA CBHC;
• Psych/Mental Health – Suicide ideation and alert (with first party verification) OMEGA/Referral for mental health resources (Psych/Mental Health Conditions/Suicide Attempt/Abnormal Behavior 25O1) These calls are already being referred to 988/BHHL or CHA CBHC;
• Psych/Mental Health - Non-suicidal and alert (without first party verification) has not made a suicide attempt (Psych/Mental Health Conditions/Suicide Attempt/Abnormal Behavior 25A1) – pending med control approval;
• Psych/Mental Health – Suicide ideation and alert (without first party verification) has not made a suicide attempt (Psych/Mental Health Conditions/Suicide Attempt/Abnormal Behavior 25A2) – pending med control approval;
• Sick Person - Call for someone feeling anxious or nervous, but not suicidal (Sick Person 26019) – pending med control approval.

New Department Logo
For a department logo, we selected a powder blue design, which is a color that is psychologically proven to reduce anxiety and stress while elevating feelings of peace and trustworthiness. Our design includes a graphic of two people embracing, which nonverbally communicates our values and lets the community know what the department represents. Additionally, it is important for our responders to be easily identifiable in the community, especially in moments of crisis. It is not lost on us that our responders could face racial bias and unfair suspicion if they show up to a wellness check or an active scene, in plain clothes. With that said, we also understand and empathize with the position that uniforms can potentially create barriers between people. With all that under consideration, we selected a softer look, with T-shirts that reflect the logo.

New Location and Contact Information
Lastly, we have moved into our new office space at 689 Massachusetts Avenue (lower level) in Cambridge’s Central Square. If you are looking to connect with the department, you can reach us at info@cambridgesafety.org or call our new number at (617) 349-7200.