Madison Reporter

The City of Sun Prairie has announced the expansion of services from the Madison Fire Department’s Community Alternative Response Emergency Services (CARES) Program to its community. This initiative, starting on Monday, February 3, is a result of an agreement between the City of Sun Prairie, the City of Madison, and Dane County.

The CARES program, first launched in Madison in 2021, addresses behavioral health emergencies by integrating medical and behavioral healthcare during crisis intervention. It aims to improve outcomes for individuals experiencing such crises while increasing patient satisfaction and diverting patients from emergency rooms and jails.

The CARES teams are composed of a community paramedic from the Madison Fire Department and a crisis worker from Journey Mental Health. These teams are trained to handle non-violent behavioral health emergencies that do not require law enforcement involvement. They operate on weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., and on weekends from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. The service expansion comes as data shows a significant need in Sun Prairie.

In early 2024, Sun Prairie Fire and Emergency Medical Services responded to 42 incidents involving mental health concerns where CARES could have been beneficial. Similarly, the Police Department handled 32 related incidents. Based on data from previous years, an annual demand for approximately 123 CARES-related calls is projected.

“‘The CARES program has been very successful in Madison at connecting people to the resources they need,’ said Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway. ‘We know that a holistic approach to public safety produces better outcomes for all residents... I want to welcome Sun Prairie to the team — it is a win-win for both our cities.’”

Sun Prairie Mayor Paul Esser expressed optimism about the benefits of this expansion: “‘This expansion allows community members to receive real-time support from trained mental health professionals...’”

Dane County Executive Melissa Agard also commented on this development: “‘Expanding mobile crisis to Sun Prairie is a critical step in ensuring that all Dane County residents have access to compassionate crisis response services.’”

Sun Prairie is located in northeastern Dane County and has seen significant population growth since its incorporation as a city in 1958.