The Tulsa City Council has approved funding to allow the Tulsa Fire Department to expand its Alternative Response Team 2 (ART-2) - a dedicated unit designed to decrease high utilizers of the 911 system.
The ART-2 unit, which was initially launched as a pilot program in August of 2023, operates in Downtown Tulsa within the Inner Dispersal Loop (IDL) to decrease 911 medical call volumes for Downtown fire companies, particularly Fire Stations 2 and 4, by providing advanced life support medical care while connecting individuals in need to crucial community services.
During the course of their work, ART-2 teams conduct wellness checks, provide outreach services, and provide community education. This response unit is not just a first-responder medical unit - it also provides outreach supplies such as hygiene kits, emergency food and water, harm reduction supplies like Narcan Leave Behind kits, and fentanyl test strips.
“Addressing mental health needs within our community has dramatically changed over the last decade and the City of Tulsa is focused on creating programs that lead to better outcomes for Tulsans,” Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum said. “I want to thank Tulsa Fire Chief Michael Baker for starting the initial pilot of this program, which showed such success that we have now expanded this vital emergency service for our neighbors at risk.”
The expansion is funded by $618,000 from the Walgreens Opioid Settlement Fund. This appropriation will cover funding for two additional positions, support supplies, and a vehicle.
"I am grateful we secured the necessary funding for Tulsa Fire Department’s Alternative Response Team which offers a compassionate and effective solution for citizens experiencing a mental health crisis, ensuring they receive appropriate care from trained professionals while allowing Tulsa Police to focus their resources on addressing other public safety needs," District 7 City Councilor Lori Decter-Wright said.
In 2023, the ART-2 pilot team recorded 439 responses, averaging 4.87 responses per day. The program has resulted in four people receiving permanent housing and 57 referrals to social services, showcasing its effectiveness in addressing broader community needs.
"The Tulsa Fire Department appreciates the City's formal funding of the department's Alternative Response Team - 2 (ART-2)," Tulsa Fire Chief Michael Baker said. "This innovative response model started as a pilot program in the summer of 2023 to evaluate the TFD's ability to primarily impact the needs of the unsheltered population in the downtown area."
"ART-2 quickly demonstrated the ability to provide emergency medical care and support the social needs of those experiencing homelessness," Chief Baker added. "By working with our community partners, and monitoring response data, the TFD has been able to coordinate housing and improve healthcare to many vulnerable patients that normally would be transported to the hospital emergency department."
ART-2 is a compliment to ART-1, which was launched in April of 2023. Similar to ART-2, ART-1 is an innovative co-responder model that pairs a TFD paramedic with a COPES clinician to provide de-escalation and wrap-around services. Wrap-around services are provided by Family & Children's Services (F&CS) to ensure a continuum of care and the best care for the clients. ART-1 also provides a resource for high-utilizers looking for assistance through the 911 system. In 2023, ART-1 recorded 767 responses, averaging four per day.
ART-1 and ART-2 are both services that assist in providing mental health resources through innovative first responder models. Resources, as proven, can also help people find permanent housing. Both models are a key component of the City's Path to Home Initiative, which serves as a central source for all programming related to housing, homelessness, and mental health that is more easily recognizable and representative of the cumulative work taking place within the city of Tulsa.
More information about Path to Home can be found at www.cityoftulsa.org/pathtohome.
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