Last year, Cat Brooks’ Anti Police-Terror Project launched MH First Oakland, a response service to people in mental health crises. In this interview, she talks about their progress and the Oakland Fire Department working towards replacing police as first-responders to mental health calls.
Let's stop attaching mental health crises to violence.
Oakland's efforts to implement non-police responses to mental health crises have been up and down. Most recently, the city council agreed to consider having the fire department respond to mental health calls. This happened after two nonprofits in the running to overrun Mobile Assistance Community Responders, or MACRO, backed out.
We discuss the direction the city is heading with defunding the police, the city getting MACRO started, APTP’s MH First service, and mental health stigma.
If you live in Oakland and you or someone you know is having a mental health crisis, you can call MH First at (510) 999-9MH1.
