The Seattle Times’ Mental Health Project covers mental and behavioral health issues. It is funded by Ballmer Group. The Seattle Times maintains editorial control over all its coverage.

Just three years after Tacoma launched a mental health crisis response team to work alongside first responders, the city is considering eliminating the team as it faces a budget shortfall.

The HOPE Team, which stands for Holistic Outreach Promoting Engagement, includes mental health professionals, a registered nurse and a case manager. It is

dispatched through the 911 system or direct referrals from first responders and hospitals, and works to help people in crisis and connect them with longer-term behavioral health services.

These types of programs, often referred to as “alternative response” or “co-response” teams, have become increasingly common around the U.S. as cities consider how to best help people experiencing mental health crises.…