PRESS RELEASE

Above: Photo of Community Crisis Response Team from an August 2023 press conference.

Long Beach, CA – The Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services (Health Department) is expanding the service area for its Community Crisis Response (CCR) team, a three-person team that responds to a subset of calls-for-service where mental health support, health education and resource navigation could support the safety and health outcomes for community members at the center of calls. The team, which launched its pilot program in July 2023, currently serves West Long Beach. By expanding its service area to include Downtown, CCR will be able to support more of the community while improving safety and quality of life in the Downtown area.  

“The work of the Community Crisis Response team has been incredible,” said Mayor Rex Richardson. “Expanding the service area is a win for public safety and racial equity.”

The team will expand to areas including Downtown and the East Village beginning late January. The CCR program operates on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and responds to nonemergency calls for service where a mental health professional is appropriate. The establishment of CCR is one piece of Long Beach’s effort to improve overall community health and safety through programs and services that meet residents’ needs through health-based approaches. The CCR pilot is part of the City’s Racial Equity and Reconciliation Initiative, grounded in a vision where race and ethnicity alone do not determine social and economic outcomes for those who live and work in Long Beach.

Since the program began:

• 95% of calls resulted in community members receiving direct resources and supplies (including water, food, hygiene kits and other basic needs items)
• 38% resulted in referrals to other services to support the needs of the community member, including programs that provide homeless supportive services, mental health and recovery services, medical support, social services and healthy aging supportive services. 
• 47% of referrals made were for housing and homelessness.
• Only 10% of calls required the assistance of other Public Safety services, such as the Police Department, Fire Department or other Emergency Medical Services.

Community members who may be seeking ways to support someone through connection to services or who are seeking referrals related to mental health or basic needs support, are encouraged to call the City’s nonemergency line at 562.435.6711. This line is answered by the City’s Emergency Communications Center. Anyone experiencing a mental health crisis requiring immediate attention is encouraged to call 9-1-1.

Additional details about the CCR team’s operation can be found here.

About the City of Long Beach 
Long Beach is nestled along the Southern California coast and home to approximately 466,000people. As an award-winning full-service charter city, Long Beach offers the amenities of a metropolitan city while maintaining a strong sense of individual and diverse neighborhoods, culture, and community. With a bustling downtown and over six miles of scenic beaches, Long Beach is a renowned tourist and business destination and home to the iconic Queen Mary, nationally recognized Aquarium of the Pacific and Long Beach Airport, the award-winning Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center and world-class Port of Long Beach. 

For more information about the City of Long Beach, visit longbeach.gov/. Follow us on social to keep up with the latest news: Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube. More information about the Health Department is available at longbeach.gov/health and on social on Facebook, X and Instagram.