Oakland, California’s Anti Police-Terror Project (APTP) has launched a service called “Mental Health First Oakland.” It’s a hotline designed to serve those dealing with psychiatric emergencies, substance abuse behavior, and domestic violence. The best part? It’s free!
It’s available between 8PM and 8AM – a crucial time period for those dealing with mental health emergencies, giving people an option when all the other mental health services in the city are closed.
This comes after a 6-year-long fight to develop programs to replace violent policing – led in part by APTP co-founder Cat Brooks. “It’s really about investing in community-based solutions,” she said, “that keep communities whole and keep people out of jail.”
APTP’s argument for reallocating funds from policing to the community gets to the root of what policing even means. Policing "responds" to violence – it doesn’t stop it from happening. We need to invest in the resources that CAN actually stop the violence.
Cat Brooks isn't in this fight alone. Our people are still grappling with mental health issues, domestic violence, and substance abuse. It's up to us to change the narrative and build a community of resources for people who need help – not police them! We need to support and build more programs like this, so that a Black person in a crisis will walk away with someone who can listen, not handcuffs.