The Community Outreach and Stabilization Unit (COAST) provides nontraditional law enforcement services to underserved and vulnerable populations.
The COAST unit includes the Mental Health Resource Team, the Police Homeless Outreach Program (PHOP), and the Recovery Access Program (RAP). The COAST Unit is staffed by police officers, licensed clinical social workers referred to as department social workers and civilian support staff. The program coordinator is a police sergeant that supervises all activities within the COAST Unit and reports to the Deputy Chief of the Community Engagement Division.
The COAST Unit incorporates two national best practices in Police Mental Health Collaborative programs based on a case management and co-responder approach. This approach allows for a mechanism to follow up on prior calls for service under the case management program and provides an immediate response under the co-responder program. The Mental Health Resource Team partners with licensed clinical social workers in both the case management and co-responder programs to utilize their expertise to increase long-term positive outcomes.
The Police Homeless Outreach Program (PHOP) provides outreach and services to assist individuals in acquiring short-term housing and provide social support and assistance in locating long-term housing solutions. See General Order 381.00 for the Police Homeless Outreach Program.
The Recovery Access Program (RAP) is based on a national best practice within law enforcement chemical dependency programming efforts to connect individuals who may be experiencing chemical dependency with community-based resources to better identify and respond to possible public health threats due to unsafe chemical use and substance abuse. See General Order 382.00 for the Recovery Access Program.
Issued February 26, 2020