Community Crisis Response Program expansion and coverage gaps
Long Beach
Summary
Long Beach's non-police crisis response team now covers the whole city on weekdays 10-5, handling mental health, welfare, and homelessness-related calls with a 17.5-minute average response. Commissioners pressed staff on the lack of overnight/weekend coverage; a third team and expanded hours are the goal but depend on future funding.
At a glance
- Total mentions
- 2
- Last 30 days
- 0
Last discussed Mar 12, 2026.
Impact analysis
Funded through FY 27 by a federal earmark from Senator Padilla's office and county Measure A money; a third team and longer hours would need new funding.
Residents experiencing mental health crises, homelessness, or welfare concerns get a health-first response instead of a police response.
People in behavioral health crisis may continue to face police-only responses during off hours when voluntary programs are unavailable.
Mentions & discussions (2)
Citizens' Advisory Commission on Disabilities - Mar 12, 2026
Long Beach's non-police crisis response team now covers the whole city on weekdays 10-5, handling mental health, welfare, and homelessness-related calls with a 17.5-minute average response. Commissioners pressed staff on the lack of overnight/weekend coverage; a third team and expanded hours are the goal but depend on future funding.
City Council - Feb 10, 2026
The council dug into how the city handles calls about people acting threateningly without committing a crime — mental health crises, homelessness, disruptive behavior. Residents and councilmembers alike are confused about who to call, and most non-emergency programs don't run 24/7, leaving police as the default after-hours response. The council added a requirement for a data report back on dispatch performance.
We'll email you when it's on an upcoming agenda and when it's voted on, at most once a day.
The weekly brief for Long Beach
What the council decided, in plain English — one email a week.
Free. Unsubscribe with one click any time. We never sell your email.