Staff recommends award of an agreement with Substance Abuse Connect to provide mobile crisis response services for individuals experiencing acute mental health crisis as determined through screening by dispatch. This shall be a two-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with renewal for up to eight (8) additional years by mutual agreement, in writing, and contingent upon funding and budget approval. The SAC's proposal best meets the needs of providing these service for the community of Billings.
 

As per CPSM recommendation #21, "BFD should work with AMR, the 911 Dispatch Center, area hospitals, and social service providers to develop a Billings FD-MIH/Community Paramedicine program." This program is the level between what the Billings Fire Department is doing now and the future evolution into Community Paramedicine. This program is about efficiency as it will allow PD relief from a scene quicker and reduce significant responses from FD. This will provide a more appropriate response for individuals in an acute mental health crisis.  Pursuant to the discussion by and at the direction of the City Council at their meeting of June 20, 2022, a Request for Proposals was advertised in the Yellowstone County News on 9/9/22 and 9/16/22. Three (3) proposals were received from:

• America First Response;
• TruCare24; and,
• Substance Abuse Connect.

A selection committee made up of staff from Administration, Fire and Finance, reviewed all three proposals and unanimously selected Substance Abuse Connect for recommended Council approval of partnership and MOU execution.

City Council may Approve entering into an MOU to provide mobile mental health crisis intervention services with Substance Abuse Connect.; or, Not Approve entering into an MOU to provide mobile mental health crisis intervention services with Substance Abuse Connect, and provide further direction to staff.

$250,000 in city expenses is recommended to partner with Substance Abuse Connect to initially support these mobile mental crisis intervention services. Any reimbursements will be shared by the organizations providing the services in percentages equal to contributions by those organizations. Additionally, due to the nature of this partnership, City, County and Non-profit grant funding can be pursued and used to build this program and offset any non-reimbursable expenses. 

Staff recommends entering into an MOU with Substance Abuse Connect to provide mobile crisis response services for individuals experiencing acute mental health crisis as determined through screening by dispatch. This shall be a two-year MOU with options to renew for up to eight (8) additional one-year terms by mutual agreement, in writing, and contingent upon funding and budget approval.