City announces expanded services from Portland Street Response
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Those experiencing mental health crises can now receive new services from Portland Street Response, the City announced Thursday.
Launched in 2021, the city program dispatches unarmed teams during non-life-threatening mental or behavioral health crises.
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This latest expansion allows PSR teams to shuttle people to shelters, addiction treatment and food pantries.
They can also enter public spaces like lobbies of government buildings, public libraries and restaurants to help during a mental health crisis.
According to the city, the updates will allow the team to work more efficiently alongside police, firefighters, as well as emergency responders.
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'Portland Street Response is a success story, and expanding its capabilities was a key campaign promise,' said Mayor Keith Wilson. 'These new policies empower our dedicated PSR teams to shuttle at-risk individuals to services including lifesaving shelter, recovery services, day centers, and more. Once these changes have been fully implemented, PSR personnel will be able to respond to more call types, connect more individuals to the help they need most, and create better outcomes for those they serve.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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