CLEVELAND — Counselors at FrontLine Service take calls from those who may be suffering a mental health crisis and can now send help to people in need.

What You Need To Know

  • A pilot program is sending unarmed professionals to assist with mental health crises 

  • A counselor and peer respond to a mental crisis in an unmarked vehicle, not armed officers

  • The program is being run in two areas that were found to have the most behaviroal health calls

“It's an unarmed mental health professional including a peer, so that's a certified individual with lived experience in mental health or addiction, and there they respond to nonviolent mental health crisis,” said Scott Osiecki, CEO of the ADAMHS Board of Cuyahoga County.

Cuyahoga County and the City of Cleveland have teamed up to launch the Care Response pilot program in zip codes 44102 and 44105. People can call 998 and speak to a counselor and have the option of having a counselor and peer come to them in person. The zip codes were chosen based on areas making the most behavioral health calls. The county said its goal is to provide a health-first compassionate approach.

The counselor and peer arrive at the caller’s location in an unmarked vehicle, which they said can be far more comforting than one with lights and sirens when you’re suffering a mental health crisis.

“Maybe you're feeling depressed. Maybe you just wanted to talk to somebody. Or let's say your medications were off, we want you to call 988 instead of 911,” Osiecki said.

 The Care Response team is trained to handle mental health or addiction crises such as:

  • Talking about suicide or planning to harm oneself
  • Feelings of hopelessness
  • Self-injury that doesn’t need immediate medical attention
  • Overuse of alcohol or drugs
  • Hearing voices
  • Not sleeping or eating for many days
  • Extreme depression or anxiety

“I’m seeing a lot more clients that are willing to divulge their whole history to me and the peer I’m with,” said Julianne Reese, a crisis intervention specialist who responds to calls with a peer.

She previously worked on a team that responded alongside police. She said there’s still a lot of hesitancy and uncertainly from various populations about speaking to law enforcement and not trusting the police.

The help doesn’t end after the visit. They provide ongoing follow-ups to ensure people are getting the support they need.

The county said the community response has been positive and the peer interaction has been well-received.

“They have the lived experience; they know what you're going through," Osiecki said. "They know how to de-escalate situations."

“There is a therapeutic value, one recovering addict helping another,” said Felicia Baggett, a certified peer supporter.

The county said they still want the public to call 911 in case of mental health emergencies.

“Now, if a person is actively hurting themselves or hurting others, we want you to call 911,” Osiecki said.

 Cuyahoga County said the goal is to expand the program to all of the county. The pilot program will run through September 2025.