HomeMy WebLinkAboutBill No. 22-36 (Second Substitute) Mental Health Crises Response Team within the South Bend Fire Department ResolutionSUBSTITUTE BILL NO. 22-36
SUBSTITUTE RESOLUTION NO. 4970-2
Filed in Clerk's Office
A.UG O 8 ?O??
� the community of South Bend is grieving the tragic death of Dante Kittrell who was shot and
killed on July 29, 2022; and
� Dante is reported to have had lifelong serious mental health issues and was in mental health crisis
at the time he was shot; and
� mental health professionals were never summoned to the scene of Dante's mental health crisis
before he was shot; and
� the proper response to potentially violent situations involving individuals with mental health
crises should include mental health professionals in concert with first responders; and
� it has been recognized that fire departments, without guns or a focus on punitive action, in
collaboration with mental health professionals can manage most mental health crises; and
� such mental health crisis response teams currently exist within fire departments in several cities
including Madison, Wisconsin, San Francisco, California, Eugene, Oregon, Anchorage, Alaska, and Chandler,
Arizona; and
� local mental health professionals have established a Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) program;
and;
6JY';;;,rea.F, preventing and responding to mental health crises requires a system of care inclusive of true
partnership among first responders, public safety officers, health care professionals and their affiliated
institutions, social and behavioral therapists, community residents, and elected officials; and
� it is time to create and implement a mental health crisis response team so that all citizens can
receive the health care they need and deserve;
Section I. The South Bend Common Council hereby urges City of South Bend to require mental
health crisis training for all First Responders operating within the City.
Section II. The South Bend Common Council hereby urges the City of South Bend, South Bend Fire
Department, and the St. Joseph County Health Department to convene all relevant parties to examine the
current mental health crisis response system; recommend changes in the system; and develop and propose
a plan for incorporating mental health professionals and the fire department in the response to all mental
health crises.