City Commissioner of Human Services and department staff presented an update on the city’s crisis intervention services, including the Program for Intervention and Crisis (PIC), at the People, Parks and Public Works Committee meeting on Oct. 16.

The presentation was led by Sarah Fletcher and included supervisors and other staff. Fletcher and staff described PIC as one element of the broader crisis intervention service array and reviewed response types used by the team and how outcomes are recorded.

Why it matters: Committee members pressed for clarifications about what response outcomes mean, how often teams are dispatched, and where calls originate — information council members said they will use to assess service coverage and potential collaborations with mental‑health partners.

Key points from the presentation
Staff said PIC responds to a set of core call types — including mental‑health crises and family‑ or health‑related emergencies — and that teams can provide referrals for temporary housing and other supports. The department identified supervisors involved in homicide‑related family response and other specialized responses.

Council members asked several operational questions. President Melendez asked what the “remained on‑site” outcome means; staff explained that “remained on‑site” is used when responders arrive and determine no further transport or off‑site referral is required. A council member asked about the share of calls where services were not provided on arrival; staff said they would provide follow‑up information in writing.

Data requests and next steps
Council members asked staff to provide: a written description of the process and scope for library planning connected to certain projects (asked earlier in joint committee), a breakdown of PIC calls by ZIP code, details separating core response call types from other dispatched calls, and a clearer public explanation of outcomes and dispatch rules. Staff agreed to supply those materials in writing and to share details about public engagement and training materials for the program.

Council members and staff also discussed opportunities to coordinate PIC data with other mental‑health resources, such as the Office of Mental Health and community providers, to identify service gaps by neighborhood.

Ending: Staff committed to provide the requested definitions, data breakdowns by ZIP code and the detailed process documents in writing to council members for follow up.