SUBJECT/RECOMMENDATION:
Title
Approve an agreement with the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, Largo, Florida, in the amount of $242,260.00 for two co-responder crisis response specialists as part of the Mental Health Co-Responder Program to team with Clearwater Police officers to handle mental health related calls during the one-year agreement period commencing on October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027 and authorize the appropriate officials to execute same. (consent)
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SUMMARY:
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), one in five Americans is affected by mental illness each year. Annually, the Clearwater Police Department responds to approximately 1600 calls for service which involve issues related to mental illness. Approximately 25% of the fatal police shootings in the United States involve a subject with mental illness. Police officers are routinely tasked with being the first responder to persons involved in mental health crisis but have limited options to address long-term, reoccurring issues that generate repeat calls for service and disrupt neighborhoods and businesses.
In 2021, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office and the Clearwater Police Department established a mental health co-responder program. The program consists of two Clearwater Police officers and two co-responder crisis response specialists employed by the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. The program has proven successful, and the department intends to continue providing this specialized resource to provide the best possible outcomes and help to safely defuse and prevent crisis incidents by connecting people to services, conducting follow-up to promote the utilization of services, and proper application of the Baker Act statute.
In the proposed agreement for FY 2027, the City of Clearwater will pay the Pinellas County Sheriff the actual costs, salary and benefits, for two crisis response specialists in the amount of $242,260.00. Under City Code of Ordinances Section 2.563(1)(d), it would be impractical to competitively award these services.
APPROPRIATION CODE AND AMOUNT:
Funding of $242,260.00 is budgeted in special program P2101, Mental Health Co-Responder Team. This special program is funded by revenues from the General Fund and a contribution of McKinsey funds received from opioid settlements.
STRATEGIC PRIORITY:
This project is relevant towards accomplishing the strategic goal of a High Performing Government, specifically strategic objective 1.4 to foster safe and healthy communities in Clearwater through first-class public safety and emergency response services.
