The City of Columbus, in collaboration with Mission Critical Partners, has created a 12-point plan to enhance its alternative crisis response system.
STATE COLLEGE, Pa., Dec. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The city of Columbus, Ohio, has taken a major step forward in advancing its nationally recognized alternative crisis response system, completing a comprehensive strategic assessment and planning initiative to identify opportunities for enhancement and long-term sustainability.
Alternative crisis response is centered on the concept of delivering the right help, at the right time, in the right way. Columbus is recognized as a national leader in this regard. City officials, recognizing that the right response often needs to be delivered by entities beyond traditional police, fire/rescue, and emergency medical services, established the following programs:
- Right Response Unit (RRU) — Licensed clinicians embedded in the city's 911 center to provide telephone support for people experiencing behavioral health or substance use concerns.
- Mobile Crisis Response (MCR) — A law enforcement and clinician co-response team that provides immediate crisis response to complex mental health or substance use-related calls for service.
- Rapid Response Emergency and Addiction Crisis Team (RREACT) — Referral-based post-overdose response teams that offer support and connection to treatment, education, and resources to reduce overdoses and the stigma associated with alcohol and substance abuse.
- Specialized Program Assessing Resource Connectivity (SPARC) — Referral program that addresses the medical and social needs of older adults and people with disabilities who frequently contact 911.
These programs have produced measurable results. In 2024 alone, RRU triaged 5,504 calls — representing 25 percent of all mental health calls received by the city's 911 center. MCR responded to 3,104 mental health calls for service; RREACT conducted 2,606 home visits; and SPARC interventions contributed to an estimated 40 percent reduction in repeat 911 calls among participants.
Building upon this success, city officials wanted to better understand how the system could continue to evolve and mature. The city engaged MCP to conduct a thorough assessment of its alternative crisis response capabilities.
During a city council hearing on December 17 convened to review MCP's findings, Shannon Hardin, council president, called the report "brilliant."
"The early outcomes show real promise, and they tell us something important, that this approach works, and we need to keep doing it — which brings us to today," Hardin said. "The Mission Critical Partners report builds on this foundation — [it] provides a clear roadmap for what comes next."
Using its proprietary Model for Advancing Public Safety® (MAPS®) assessment methodology, MCP interviewed internal and external stakeholders, participated in ride-alongs with response teams, and conducted a multilingual community survey. Ten critical factors — including governance, training, service capabilities, funding, and community engagement — were evaluated and placed among a five-stage maturity matrix model ranging from Legacy to Advanced.
"I just really want to thank the Mission Critical Partners team," said Anita Clark, the city's assistant health commissioner. "You've been fabulous to work with. We really … respect your diligence and the hard questions that you asked us."
The assessment identified opportunities across key areas:
- Governance and program oversight
- Operations, policies and procedures
- Service capabilities
- Data and performance
- Funding and sustainability
- Community partnerships
- Community engagement
The second phase of the initiative involved the SMEs developing a comprehensive strategy that city officials could use to evolve its alternative crisis response program across the five maturity stages. The recommendations emphasize coordination, sustainability, and accountability and collectively provide a roadmap for progress so that the program ultimately reaches the Advanced stage.
"There are lots of opportunities to take some of this … and run with it," said Melissa Green, councilmember and chair of the Health, Human Services and Equity Committee and the first licensed social worker to serve on the council.
A key recommendation is establishment of a non-law enforcement Civilian Response Unit (CRU) pairing a licensed clinician with a peer support specialist to respond to clearly defined, low-acuity, nonviolent behavioral health, welfare, and social service calls. Calls would be triaged through 911 and RRU dispatch using established eligibility criteria and escalation protocols. The strategy also recommends launching a pilot program to evaluate the model's effectiveness. "I believe that this community is ready for this," Hardin said.
The 12-point strategic framework:
- Further reduces unnecessary police and EMS dispatches.
- Delivers compassionate, clinically informed crisis intervention.
- Embeds accountability and continuous improvement mechanisms.
- Reflects community voice and diversity of lived experience.
- Positions Columbus as a national model for equitable, effective crisis response.
"Through this comprehensive approach to integrating public safety and public health, Columbus can transform its current programs into a mature, transparent, and sustainable system of care that prioritizes human connection, operational excellence, and public trust," said Darrin Reilly, MCP's president and CEO.
About Mission Critical Partners (MCP)
Mission Critical Partners (MCP) is a leading provider of consulting, technology, and data integration services for public safety, justice, and government organizations. MCP helps its clients advance their missions through modern, interoperable, and data-driven solutions. Learn more at missioncriticalpartners.com
CONTACT:
Morgan Sava
SVP, Marketing
Mission Critical Partners
608-658-8858
Media Contact
Morgan Sava, Mission Critical Partners, 1 608-658-8858, [email protected], https://www.missioncriticalpartners.com/
SOURCE Mission Critical Partners
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