Beginning operations in 2023, the Community Assisted Response and Engagement (CARE) department aims to dispatch behavioral health professionals to scenes around the city of Seattle where individuals may be experiencing mental health crises.
In January 2025, the CARE team hired 11 more staff members and expanded its coverage in North Seattle neighborhoods. In March, it continued this expansion into South and Southwest Seattle, marking a complete citywide coverage. This was a result of the city’s 2025-2026 budget, which allocated 3.5 million dollars to the CARE department.
The department is an example of changing techniques in combating public safety concerns, allocating specific resources to address mental health issues rather than leaving the responsibility to Seattle Fire Department (SFD) or Seattle Police Department (SPD)…