Arlington County has launched a new system to better respond to people who may be experiencing a mental health crisis. The system is in place to tailor a more effective response to those in need when someone calls 911.
The Marcus Alert System coordinates between the 911 call center, regional crisis center and law enforcement to improve services and responses to individuals experiencing a mental health, substance abuse or developmental disability crisis.
The Marcus Alert system is also in place in Prince William, Loudoun and Fairfax counties.
“The beauty of the system is that it ensures that everyone has equitable access to behavioral health resources,” said Tiffany Jones, Arlington County Marcus Alert program coordinator. “Essentially, the system is designed to bridge the gaps between the behavioral health system and the criminal justice system.”
The Marcus alert system was named after Marcus-David Peters, a Black biology teacher who was killed by Richmond police in 2018 while experiencing a mental health crisis.
In 2020, a law was passed requiring Virginia localities to establish protocols to better respond to mental health calls.
“This system should have been put in place a long time ago,” Jones said. “Not only to better examine the gaps and barriers within our system, but also to ensure equitable services for all.”
Emergency call operators have undergone special training in mental health and psychotic disorders as well as tactics for de-escalating a crisis situation.
When every second counts, this training can make all the difference.
“To increase the likelihood that when someone is experiencing a behavioral health crisis, they receive a compassionate, behavioral health response rather than a law enforcement response,” Jones said.
All Virginia cities and towns with populations greater than 40,000 must implement the Marcus Alert system by 2028.
