Columbus mayor adds $1 million to expand Alternative Crisis Response, including new non-police team support

$1 million expansion tied to the city’s 2026 operating budget proposal

Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther has announced a $1 million expansion of the city’s Alternative Crisis Response (ACR) work, positioning the increase as part of the proposed 2026 operating budget. The new funding is aimed at strengthening how 911 calls involving behavioral health, substance use, welfare checks and other nonviolent, lower-acuity situations are handled, with the stated goal of connecting residents to appropriate help while reducing reliance on traditional emergency dispatch when it is not required.

The proposed budget totals $1.26 billion and includes major allocations for police, fire, emergency medical services and 911 operations. Within that public-safety framework, the added $1 million is described as an incremental investment in ACR capacity rather than a standalone new system.

What the expansion is expected to fund

City budget details associated with the announcement identify three primary components for the additional $1 million in alternative-response spending.

• Adding another clinician to the Right Response Unit embedded in 911 operations, increasing that program to 11 full- and part-time clinicians.

• Funding a five-person, non-police response team intended to work in coordination with the Mobile Crisis Response model.

• Assigning a therapy dog to support de-escalation work as part of crisis-response operations.

How ACR currently operates in Columbus

Columbus’ ACR umbrella includes multiple programs that route residents to support beyond a police-only response, using different entry points and levels of in-person involvement.

• Right Response Unit (RRU): clinicians embedded in the city’s 911 center who provide telephone-based assessment and support.

• Mobile Crisis Response (MCR): a co-response model combining law enforcement and a clinician for complex calls requiring on-scene intervention.

• Rapid Response Emergency and Addiction Crisis Team (RREACT): referral-based post-overdose outreach offering follow-up support and connections to treatment.

• Specialized Program Assessing Resource Connectivity (SPARC): a referral program focused on older adults and people with disabilities who repeatedly contact 911, with the aim of addressing underlying medical and social needs.

Results cited from recent program activity

Program activity figures cited in connection with the city’s ACR planning show significant call volume and follow-up work. For 2024, RRU was reported to have triaged 5,504 calls, described as about a quarter of mental-health-related calls received by the 911 center. During the same year, MCR was reported to have responded to 3,104 mental-health calls for service, RREACT to have conducted 2,606 home visits, and SPARC to have contributed to an estimated 40% reduction in repeat 911 calls among participating clients.

Strategic review points to governance and a potential civilian pilot

The funding announcement comes as Columbus has completed a strategic assessment and planning effort for its ACR system. The review process evaluated governance, operations, service capabilities, data and performance, community engagement, and long-term sustainability. Among the recommendations discussed publicly is the concept of a non-law-enforcement civilian response model pairing a licensed clinician with a peer support specialist for clearly defined, low-acuity, nonviolent calls, to be dispatched through established 911 triage criteria and escalation protocols.

Columbus leaders have framed the $1 million increase as a near-term capacity boost while the city continues work on longer-term structure, oversight and service design for crisis response.

The proposed 2026 budget is subject to Columbus City Council review, including hearings and amendments, before final adoption.