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A resolution to introduce the StarVista nonprofit organization to three cities’ police departments, including Menlo Park, was unanimously approved during the consent agenda portion of the Tuesday, Feb. 13, San Mateo County Board of Supervisors meeting.
StarVista offers mental health counseling and the organization has already worked with several other police departments in the county to collaborate with officers in working with those in need of counseling.
The board approved a pilot program in 2020 when the Community Wellness and Crisis Response Team (CWCRT) partnered with four police departments (Daly City, South San Francisco, San Mateo and Redwood City. During the pilot, mental health clinicians served within the police departments to help provide a co-response to crisis calls that involve issues of mental health.
In the pilot program, StarVista clinicians joined in assisting officers with crisis de-escalation, early intervention, 5,150 evaluations and involuntary holds. Moreover, guidance to receiving support services was also something the clinicians provided.
Briana Fair, a crisis response clinician with the San Mateo Police Department, said she waits for a code on her radio to see when her assistance is needed. Dispatch will call her in while she does background checks to see if any history is relevant to the call.
Clinicians will only arrive on the scene once it is deemed safe and they will typically work to de-escalate situations with clients and assess the situation for what is needed, Fair said.
“We’re able to go when there is a call where a weapon is involved … to be able to help that individual and de-escalate that situation for the best possible care of our client and our communities,” said Cathy Maguire, the CWCRT program manager.
The funding will last until June 2026 and totals a little over $2 million for three different police departments: Menlo Park, San Bruno and East Palo Alto. The entirety of the funding will come from the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant.
Departments have long been urged by activists to combine other tools in collaboration with policing to ensure those who come in contact with officers are treated by social workers or therapists when needed and StarVista has so far received good feedback by departments currently using their services.
The Menlo Park Police Department feels this collaborative effort with clinicians will ensure better service within the community.
“We are excited to bring the second generation of the County sponsored Community Wellness Crisis Response Team to our Menlo Park community,” said Menlo Park Police Department Chief David Norris.
Norris said that MPPD watched how the program was applied in other San Mateo County cities in recent years and how they benefited from the co-response model.
Norris highlighted that StarVista’s co-response model integrates the expertise of mental health clinicians into police responses without compromising safety. He also emphasized that the partnership with Stanford University’s Gardner Center, which will collect and analyze program data, will facilitate necessary adjustments and that access to follow up with clinicians will reduce repeated crisis responses
“We wear many hats in police response, but even with our officers’ having extensive crisis intervention training, we are not experts,” Norris said. “All of our officers aim to do the very best for our community, and this addition will provide that edge.”
