By Rachel Scully, The Hill, July 29, 2021
The Alternative Response Pilot Program, a part-time pilot program in Columbus, Ohio, has been a large success for the city, leading officials to plan an expansion of the program, city officials announced Thursday.
The pilot program, which consists of a "Triage Pod" of a social worker, emergency communications dispatcher and paramedic, aims to cut down police involvement in mental health, drug addiction or other social issues in emergency situations.
Of the calls received by the Pod, 62.5 percent did not need immediate police or fire department intervention. According to the statement, 48 percent of the calls were either completely resolved by the dispatcher or redirected to local community resources. When calls required a law enforcement response, the Pod "actively communicated with first responders, providing de-escalation and pre-arrival information to help ensure a successful outcome."
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