Capitalizing on the public cry to “defund police,” Public Health Advocates (PHAdvocates) proposes a coordinated statewide campaign to help California cities reimagine and redesign emergency response systems. Through our First Response Transformation Campaign, over the next three years PHAdvocates will help California cities to establish systemic changes making their emergency response systems more responsive, more respectful, less costly, and less racially biased, building a groundswell of support for similar changes throughout the state and beyond.
To build statewide momentum for improving the efficiency, effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, and equity impact of California first response systems, PHAdvocates will work with at least 12 cities to implement systemic emergency response improvements. To ensure that the campaign addresses the needs and priorities of low-income communities and communities of color, we will establish a seven member advisory group of equity-focused reform advocates from inside and outside the first response system to guide campaign activities.
The advisory group will ensure the campaign nurtures the wisdom and creativity of participating communities; addresses overt and systemic racism and oppression; and promotes safety, trust, transparency, collaboration, and empowerment. We will convene the group quarterly to solicit feedback on activities and progress as well as input on future direction.
Scope of Work:
- Identify evidence-based strategies from around the world that can improve the quality and integrity of first response and study their applicability to California cities.
- Identify 6 to 8 strategies Californians consider most promising and appealing.
- Support city officials and local advocacy organizations who want to learn about, advocate for, and/or adopt one or more of the recommended first response reform strategies, resulting in policy reforms being adopted in at least 10 California cities.
If you are interested in joining the advisory group, please complete the form below. For any additional information, please contact Ryan McClinton at RMC@PHAdvocates.org or 844.962.5900 ext. 237.