Baltimore expands 911 system to route non-emergency calls to mental-health teams

Baltimore is redesigning its emergency-call system by allocating part of the $400 million earned from opioid settlements to a new, always-on service that routes non-violent 911 calls to mobile crisis units rather than police. The existing teams, run by Behavioral Health System Baltimore, already pair clinicians with peer counselors for mental-health emergencies, and the expansion will cover a wider array of situations, from people sleeping in stores to those exhibiting confusion in public spaces.

Experts note that many of the city’s 1.68 million 2024 calls did not require law-enforcement, fire or ambulance response, and that police involvement often leads to unnecessary arrests. Similar diversion models in Durham’s HEART program have diverted over 12 000 calls with minimal police backup. City officials, including director of overdose response Sara Whaley, hope the approach will link callers to housing, health care, and other support services, ultimately lowering incarceration rates and improving public safety.