REACH Is Live: A New Way Salem Responds to Crisis

January marked an important step forward in how Salem responds to behavioral health and substance-use emergencies. On January 20th, we officially launched the REACH (Rapid Engagement, Assessment & Community Health) Team — a pilot program designed to make sure the right response shows up at the right time when someone is in crisis.

Strengthening our partnership with Marion County was one of my top priorities when I ran for Mayor, and REACH is a good example of that work taking shape. This team brings together a Salem Fire paramedic and EMT with a Marion County mental health clinician to respond to certain 911 calls involving behavioral health or substance-related situations.

The goal is to help de-escalate tough situations, connect people with the services they need, and reduce repeat emergency calls — while keeping traditional emergency responders available for life-threatening emergencies.

This six-month pilot will operate 40 hours per week during peak demand hours and is jointly run by the Salem Fire Department and Marion County Health and Human Services. Team members have received specialized training to build trust on scene and help people take the next steps toward longer-term care and stability.

This is the kind of practical, compassionate solution I talked about during my campaign — and it’s part of our ongoing work to build a safe, clean, and healthy Salem. I’m grateful to our partners and frontline teams who are helping turn this promise into action!

Learn more on the city of Salem website, here.

Photo Credit: Statesman Journal