ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Community Assistance and Life Liason program is looking to expand.

The St. Petersburg Police Department and Gulf Coast Jewish Family & Community Services partnered in 2021 to launch CALL.

The program diverts non-violent, non-criminal 911 calls dealing with mental health, substance abuse, neighbor disputes and truancy to trained social workers.

CALL will head to Thursday's City Council meeting to extend its contract three years and request an additional $400,000 a year.

The money would go toward increasing staff, extending hours and establishing a dedicated workspace.

Tonya Mathis is a community navigator, responding to those calls for almost two years.

She says it's important to address mental health issues in the community and is proud to be a catalyst in helping make that happen.

"Whatever we’re called to, just hopefully we can make a difference in the outcome," said Mathis.

Mathis and other "navigators" have connected with about 10,000 people in the community since the program started.

Megan McGee, assistant director with SPPD's Administrative Services Bureau, helped create the program and is proud of its success so far.

She says extra funding will mean more access.

"They will hire two additional navigators who will respond in pairs," said McGee.

"And also a clinical-level supervisor that will again help us to adjust our availability into later evening hours.”

With more access, Mathis is ready to help more people.

Hours are expected to extend from 8 a.m. to 12 a.m. to 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the fall of 2023.