Today, the City of Tacoma provided a comprehensive update on its alternative response programs, detailing how specialized teams have been applying data-informed strategies to connect vulnerable individuals to the support and services they need while making efficient use of the City’s public safety resources.
The update highlighted the work of the City’s Holistic Outreach Promoting Engagement (HOPE) team, Homeless Engagement and Alternatives Liaison (HEAL) team, Community Safety Officers (CSOs), and Library Patron Support Team. It outlined performance milestones rooted in consent-based and trauma-informed engagement across the City’s alternative response framework:
- HOPE: The HOPE team has made 4,405 program contacts and over 2,200 direct field dispatches since its phased rollout began in mid-2023 to support individuals requiring behavioral health support.
- HEAL: Transitioning from a reactive, single-employee model to a proactive, coordinated system, the eight-person HEAL team has improved its efficiency. Since tracking against major policy updates in November 2022, HEAL has placed 850 individuals into shelter, identified over 4,300 individuals interested in services, and reduced its average request closure time from 11.9 days down to 6.5 days.
- CSOs: Operating with a team of five staff members, CSOs have responded to 3,754 dispatched non-emergency calls. Averaging over nine calls a day, the team diverts low-risk, non-emergency police calls, where there is no immediate threat to life or property. away from sworn police officers.
- Library Patron Support Team: Designed to address the library’s evolving role as a community resource hub, this team has met 76% of patron needs onsite and achieved a 24% referral rate across 719 interactions, maintaining a safe and welcoming environment for all visitors.
More information on the City’s alternative response programs is available at tacoma.gov/alternativeresponse.