Title
Community Assistance Program Recruitment, Fleet and Service Report
Description
This item includes a report on the Phoenix Fire Department’s Community Assistance Program (CAP) hiring and recruitment efforts. The report also details information on CAP’s responses to calls for service.
THIS ITEM IS FOR INFORMATION ONLY.
Report
Summary
In June 2021, the City Council approved $15 million in the FY 2021-22 Budget to expand the Community Assistance Program (CAP). CAP is a proven model to assist residents experiencing a traumatic event, behavioral health crisis, or other social welfare concerns CAP consists of Crisis Response Units (CRUs), Behavioral Health Units (BHUs), and Behavioral Health dispatchers. CRUs continue to co-respond with police and fire on traumatic incidents to provide on-scene crisis stabilization. BHUs may respond as a singular unit to assist individuals experiencing a behavioral health or substance use concern or as a co-response unit. CAP is the foundation of our efforts to address those community needs that don’t expressly align with the mission of traditional emergency and public safety services. To meet these diverse needs, CAP staff continue collaborating with community partners and connecting individuals with appropriate resources.
Following the successful summer hiring events, CAP staff are conducting additional hiring events to fill the remaining vacancies. With 31 full-time Caseworker II vacant positions, the positions are posted with target interviews to occur in November 2023. Shortly after, the vacant positions for 10 full-time Caseworker III positions will be posted on Oct. 30, 2023, through Nov. 17, 2023, with interviews in December 2023. Successful candidates will undergo background checks, with onboarding to occur in January 2024.
Along with the staffing progress, CAP staff have collaborated with the Public Works and Fire Departments to prepare new vehicles and transition out of the rental vehicles in October. Four new vehicles were received, prepared for service, and transitioned into service for the BHUs. The new fleet's arrival allowed CAP to return the four rental vehicles. BHU staff are excited to have the new vehicles be recognizable and equipped to meet the community's needs.
The CAP Data Report is included in Attachment A for additional updates on recent dispatch data trends, recruitment, and fleet.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Assistant City Manager Lori Bays, Deputy City Manager Ginger Spencer and the Fire Department.