Madison Reporter

CARES, Madison's alternative response service for behavioral health emergencies, has announced the activation of a third team to respond to calls for service on weekdays. The new team, known as 'CARES 3', will be on duty Monday through Friday from 12:00 PM to 10:00 PM, operating from the old Town of Madison fire station on Fish Hatchery Road. This expansion comes in response to the identified peak hours for behavioral health emergencies between 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM on weekdays, as reported by Dane County Public Safety Communications (911).

With the addition of CARES 3, the CARES program now boasts three teams available to respond to calls during hours of peak demand. Since its establishment on September 1, 2021, CARES has already answered approximately 5000 calls for service. Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway expressed her support for the program, stating, “CARES continues to provide a much-needed service to our community. It’s my hope that we will continue to be able to expand coverage and meet the needs of people experiencing mental and behavioral health issues in Madison.”

Each CARES team consists of a Madison Fire Department community paramedic and a Journey Mental Health crisis worker, trained and equipped to handle non-violent behavioral health emergencies without requiring law enforcement intervention. The teams operate throughout the City of Madison to ensure timely responses to those in need.

In addition to the newly activated CARES 3 team, two other CARES teams are already on duty from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM on weekdays, with another team available on weekends from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM. This strategic scheduling ensures that CARES is there to assist the community during peak hours, providing essential support for individuals in crisis.