New Orleans, LA – A new report from the Vera Institute of Justice (Vera) on crisis response in New Orleans offers lessons for local leaders across the country on how to build the infrastructure needed to launch and sustain successful alternative first response programs.

New Orleans launched their Mobile Crisis Intervention Unit (MCIU) in June 2023—a citywide, 24/7 team dispatched through 911, staffed by behavioral health professionals, and designed to offer a rapid, non-police response to people experiencing behavioral health crises. MCIU is one of more than 100 alternative first response teams operating across the United States, with many more local governments looking into building or expanding alternative first response services.

Vera partnered with the New Orleans Health Department (NOHD) and service provider Resources for Human Development to support MCIU through its first year. It is now a model of effective crisis response: enabling quicker response times for both police and crisis response teams, allowing police to focus on serious crime, and resolving close to 65 percent of crisis calls without transporting people to a hospital emergency department, easing demand on medical facilities.

Vera found three key aspects to MCIU’s success: strong coordination between government agencies, good data infrastructure, and community education and engagement. MCIU shows not only the power of care and compassion to help New Orleanians in their most vulnerable moments, but what local government can achieve through strong, collaborative partnerships.

“The learning curve for launching MCIU was extremely steep for us at NOHD, but we’ve been fortunate to learn from so many partners who dedicated countless professional and personal hours to ensure MCIU is successful,” said Travers Kurr, Manager of Behavioral Health Programs, New Orleans Health Department. “By intentionally carving out space to share ideas, knowledge, and critical feedback as we had during our launch, we believe MCIU’s roots will only strengthen and the services we provide to those in New Orleans will flourish.”

“The Mobile Crisis Intervention Unit shows what’s possible when local governments commit to care, collaboration, and community. New Orleans built a model that not only meets people in crisis with dignity, but strengthens public safety for everyone,” said Daniela Gilbert, Director of Redefining Public Safety initiative, Vera Institute of Justice. “But to scale this service, leaders must continue to invest in the infrastructure that makes it a success.”

About the Vera Institute of Justice: The Vera Institute of Justice is powered by hundreds of advocates, researchers, and policy experts working to transform the criminal legal and immigration systems until they’re fair for all. Founded in 1961 to advocate for alternatives to money bail in New York City, Vera is now a national organization that partners with impacted communities and government leaders for change. We develop just, antiracist solutions so that money doesn’t determine freedom; fewer people are in jails, prisons, and immigration detention; and everyone is treated with dignity. Vera’s headquarters is in Brooklyn, New York, with offices in Washington, DC, New Orleans, and Los Angeles. For more information, visit vera.org.