We transformed how Phoenix responds to public safety calls. 📞 We expanded beyond police and fire to include behavioral health. Now when you call 911, we ask what you need and send the right response through our Community Assistance Program. 7/8
— Mayor Kate Gallego (@MayorGallego) April 21, 2026
How the 911 intake changed
Call takers now open with a direct question: “Do you need police, fire or behavioral health?” When the situation fits a behavioral health response, the call is shifted to a Behavioral Health Dispatcher, who sends a Community Assistance Program team instead of officers. The change went live December 15, 2025, after the City Council signed off on a package of public safety updates, according to the City of Phoenix.
Community Assistance Program on the street
The Community Assistance Program has developed into a clinician-backed alternative for nonviolent mental health calls and short-term case management. Local coverage reports that 911 operators are now trained to triage callers and send social…..