KSHB 41 reporter Isabella Ledonne covers issues surrounding government accountability and solutions. Share your story with Isabella.
Back in December, an alternative arrest program launched in Kansas City to help those experiencing a mental health crisis stay out of jail.
But three months since REACH first launched in the area, it's been a slower start than was originally expected.
In response to ongoing crime and incarceration rates, the Kansas City, Missouri, City Council approved $1.2 million for REACH. It's a non-law enforcement approach to help those experiencing a mental health crisis, homelessness or substance abuse in the Prospect Avenue corridor from East 27th Street to East 45th Street.
Chris Lopez, an organizer with Decarcerate KC, worked with the Kansas City Health Department to bring REACH into the city starting in mid-December.
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"You have the opportunity to connect folks to care and resources instead of bringing them into the incarcerate system," Lopez said.
Kansas Citians can call the REACH Hotline at 816-513-6010 to refer community members in need, classified as community referrals. Kansas City Police Department officers could have REACH team members respond to situations once it's deemed safe and non-violent.
Those are known as social referrals and pre-arrest diversions.
"Once [the program] started, we were like, 'Oh people want it,"' Lopez said. "People want this program, we just weren't ready for it."
There have been some delays with getting REACH operations up and running. The program started enrolling community referrals just a few weeks ago, and KCPD social referrals haven't started yet.
"REACH has kind of refocused its efforts," Program Manager Cydney Williams said. "We're really just streamlining referrals and enhancing coordination with community partners."
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Leaders with REACH and the KC's Health Department explained there are a few factors causing delays, including staffing shortages, comprehensive coordination efforts with agencies and training times.
"One of the challenges is always staffing, but nothing that we haven't been challenged with before and that we believe we will overcome," Deputy Director Jacqueline A. Dillard said. "There's a refocus on the positions."
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There was an extensive planning period for the REACH program and leaders are working toward solutions, the KCMO Health Department's behavioral health and injury prevention manager explained.
"Some of it's trial and error," Rashid Junaid said. "We've tried to implement things, we've talked about things and we've adjusted accordingly. It's a process that we have to go through to make sure that we are doing the right things to get results."
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KCPD pre-arrest diversions were supposed to start in January, but that aspect of the program is delayed until the beginning of March.
"We're ensuring that the patrol officers, ideally the ones that are riding around, know all about REACH and they have an opportunity to ask questions and gain more information," Williams said.
KCPD told KSHB 41 News they are looking into the program further to provide information for our questions when we asked for a comment.
REACH has received more than 80 inquiries from community members, leading to 10 people being enrolled in the program with resources.
There have been no pre-arrest diversions yet.
"Some of those things don't move as fast as we like, but they are moving nonetheless," Junaid said.
Advocates like Lopez explained small steps still show success.
"I think [the community referrals] say a lot and yes, while it was frustrating, I'm happy to see the results right now," Lopez said. "It's taken a second to get off the ground but [REACH] really will be a game changer in Kansas City and we just have to give the opportunity and the chance to get to that."