Since 2020, community responder (CR) programs have proliferated in the United States. CR programs vary in design, but commonly provide an alternative or additional service for some situations traditionally managed by law enforcement. The Northampton Division of Community Care (DCC) is a CR program that is unique in being embedded within a municipal Department of Health and Human Services. The city’s 911 dispatchers send DCC CRs to certain types of non-violent, non-emergency calls when CR skills in emotional support, de-escalation, collaborative problem solving, advocacy, and resource connection (e.g., housing, food, healthcare, legal services) are needed. There is limited literature on both implementation and outcomes of CR programs. The purpose of this project is to document patterns in services CRs provide, length of engagement, and outcomes by dispatch call reason. 

This study will examine a novel dataset that contains de-identified records for calls that Northampton dispatchers sent to DCC between May and August 2025 (n=32). The dataset includes the reason for the call provided to dispatchers and information on services DCC provided. Narrative text will be qualitatively coded to identify client outcomes. This pilot study will provide a basis for future efforts to measure the effectiveness and economic impact of CR services compared to standard services. It will be of importance to future research and policy as communities around the U.S. seek to utilize CRs to help address complex social challenges.