NEW YORK — A California mother whose son was shot and killed in 2019 by police during a mental health crisis has partnered with local officials to create a mobile task force to aid those struggling with mental illness.
Taun Hall’s son, Miles, began showing signs of possible mental illness during his teenage years. He would later be diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder and, as his symptoms progressed, Hall worried about Miles’ safety.
“I was trying to be preventive,” Hall said. “I was trying to get things handled before there was a problem.” When Hall saw Miles’ symptoms getting worse, she reached out to the mental health officer she’d been working with to aid Miles. Hall left a message for her, and called the local police department’s non-emergency line, trying to alert them to Miles’ condition in case her son encountered law enforcement. “I was like, ‘OK, if they know him, they're gonna respond with care and compassion.’”
About 10 minutes later, a neighbor called to tell Hall that Miles had been shot. According to police reports, officers responded to several calls that afternoon, not just Hall’s call. Replacing police with mobile response units to address low-level calls -- like those about mental health -- is happening in many cities around the country. Oakland, California, began testing a pilot program in April. The new task force, called MACRO -- Mobile Assistance Community Responders of Oakland -- was created to provide a first-response option that was separate from the police.
Each MACRO team has an EMT, a crisis intervention specialist and a minivan packed with supplies. The team doesn’t just address low-level mental health concerns. It also helps with homelessness, public intoxication and behavioral issues, among others.
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