See how a Street Crisis Response Team takes on 911 mental health calls 10:31
There s a new approach to police response to mental health emergencies. Taking the police out of it
Updated 8:24 PM ET, Fri April 2, 2021 (CNN)It s a sunny afternoon in San Francisco, and an agitated woman is screaming in the middle of the street, urgently pleading for help rescuing her daughter and granddaughter from a locked building on the corner of a busy intersection. She s stopping traffic; saying she s convinced they are going to die.
Behavioral health clinician Shari Lachin sees her and within seconds approaches the woman in distress, immediately engaging with her and attempting to deescalate the situation.