The Right Care at the Right Time

A3 taps into a unique combination of lived experience and clinical expertise

Unable to connect with mental health services, he had holed up for several days in an abandoned building and was self-treating his mental health issues with alcohol and fentanyl. Beyond being a nuisance to nearby businesses, neighbors were frightened and his mother reported that he had called threatening suicide. Things looked dire.

A year ago, the only solution would have been to dispatch local law enforcement, risking the possibility of elevating the man’s anxiety and placing him and police in an even more precarious situation. Fortunately, an innovative new program from Contra Costa Health called A3 (Anyone, Anywhere, Anytime) offered this man a better approach. Instead of sirens blaring, the man was met by a compassionate mental health clinician and mental health peer support worker trained to help de-escalate the situation and provide the support he needed.

“Sometimes, you just need someone to talk to who understands what you’re going through,” explains Dani Jimenez, the mental health peer support worker who was on the scene. “That could have been me a couple of years ago, so I know how much pain he was in. He’s scared. He probably hasn’t eaten or slept and he’s hurting. I know how valuable it is to have someone that can listen to you and really hear what you’re saying.”

While most calls to the A3 hotline are resolved over the phone, about one in four require an in-person response. By pairing a clinician with a trained peer who has lived mental health and addiction experiences, the A3 program offers a dramatically different way to help people in the field experiencing a mental health crisis. In this case, having a peer like Dani was especially important.

“I’m a mental health consumer myself and I just celebrated two years of being clean and sober from alcohol and drugs. Since I come from lived experience in these fields, I’m able to gain rapport with clients,” she says. “When we got there, he was pleasant with us. I knew someone who works at a detox center, so I reached out to find him a bed. Meanwhile, my partner (the clinician) was speaking with the man’s mom and working out a safety plan. We really connected when I shared my story about my own mental health challenges and recovery.”

“Wow!” he said. “And now you’re working for the county.”

“Many times, people have an arsenal of tools available to them, but in that moment, they can’t think straight. They need someone to help them slow down and assess what’s going on,” says Dr. Chad Pierce, director of the A3 program.

“Often, just talking through what happened and what the triggers are and asking what they think would be most helpful can give us the information we need.”

That’s what A3 offers. Created in partnership with local cities, law enforcement agencies and mental health advocates, the A3 program is a response to the tragic realities where people suffering from mental health episodes have been injured or killed by responding police. Introducing mental health experts at the front of these mental health crises, right when the emergency call is received, can be the difference between life and death.

Working with partner organizations across the county is crucial. Local police are notified when A3 teams are dispatched so they can provide support if needed, such as when a person may be a danger to themselves or others. A3 team members can also connect people to a wealth of resources available throughout the county, including mental health, housing, food and employment services. But sometimes, it’s about bringing a calming presence to recenter the situation.

“So many times, they just need someone to listen. I feel remarkably lucky to be able to give them that support and to tell them that I’ve been there,” says Dani. “I was in the hospital a lot, so to be where I am now, it just gives me chills to be able to connect to our clients on that level and to support them in their recovery.”