A new report by Human Rights Watch sheds light on alternative strategies for responding to mental health crises in the United States, emphasizing the benefits of approaches that deactivate the traditional role of police in such situations. The publication titled, “‘Self-Determination is the Pathway to Liberation’”, presents a survey of 150 non-police crisis response programs across the country.
The report is a collaborative effort by Human Rights Watch and groups such as New York Lawyers for the Public Interest and the Center for Racial and Disability Justice at UCLA Law School. It outlines various programs, such as the Mobile Assistance Community Responders of Oakland and the Cambridge Holistic Emergency Alternative Response Team, although it refrains from endorsing any specific initiative. Central to these programs is the strategy of minimizing police involvement during mental health emergencies to prevent potential escalations within these sensitive situations.
The alternatives promoted by the report include not forcing services on individuals experiencing crisis and deploying responders who have firsthand experience with mental health challenges or substance abuse. These practices are grounded within the legal framework provided by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which prohibits discrimination by government entities on the basis of disability. The report suggests that failure to adapt emergency response programs to accommodate disabilities could constitute an ADA violation—a point underscored by a 2023 Justice Department investigation.
Studies have shown the urgent need for developing alternative response programs to address the heightened risk of police violence faced by people with disabilities. Incidents, such as the tragic case of Freddie Gray, who was killed by Baltimore police in 2015, illustrate the potential for dire consequences when law enforcement handle these situations.
This report contributes to a broader movement advocating for reform in emergency response frameworks. Organizations like the Marshall Project and ACLU state affiliates have been vocal in calling for reduced police involvement in mental health crisis situations. The conversation around de-escalating and rethinking mental health interventions continues to gain momentum, presenting viable rights-based alternatives for those in crisis.