$1.5 Million Grant Awarded to DPD/DFR

Dallas Fire-Rescue and the Dallas Police Department will receive up to $1.5 million from the W. W. Caruth, Jr. Communities Foundation of Texas. The three-year grant will partner specially trained and equipped paramedics, police officers and mental health experts to respond as a coordinated team to safely and effectively manage patients experiencing behavioral emergencies.

Historically, paramedics and police officers have had limited tools available to help them manage patients experiencing behavioral health emergencies. This grant could dramatically change the response to these patients while decreasing the use of other EMS, police and hospital emergency department services.

Leadership from DFR and DPD have worked closely with Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute to design a program that will improve the response to these calls and better utilize other City resources. The grant funding from the Caruth Foundation will allow for a “proof of concept” pilot program to begin in early 2017.

Fire Chief David Coatney and Interim Police Chief David Pughes wish to extend their thanks and appreciation to the Caruth Foundation for awarding the grant, and to the Smart Justice Project, the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center EMS Medical Direction team for their assistance in developing this project.