Saint Paul’s Community-First Responders
The City is investing in specialty units of trained professionals to respond to residents in crisis. These teams handle urgent concerns that don’t involve weapons or violence. Get to know our community-first response teams.
Responder Teams
Supporting the Most Vulnerable
The Familiar Faces team supports the most vulnerable members of our community. Outreach specialists and case managers help people get their basic needs met and get off the streets to safety. They provide dedicated outreach, consistent follow-up, and connections to services. Their work builds trust with residents and improves the quality of life for everyone.
Help for People Living Outdoors
The Homeless Assistance Response Team (HART) supports people who are living in tents outdoors anywhere in Saint Paul. Outreach workers connect people with health and housing services and provide personal support. If you are concerned about people in tents, you can help by letting HART know. Call the City’s Information Line at 651-266-8989, or select “unsheltered” on this online form.
Preventing Gun Violence
When gun violence happens in Saint Paul, Project PEACE supports victims, families, and people involved. This reduces the potential for retaliation and builds trust. To prevent gun violence, Project PEACE life coaches and outreach workers support the people who are most likely to become involved. Their goal is to keep everyone in Saint Paul alive, safe, and free.
Medical Response for People in Crisis
The Saint Paul Fire Department’s CARES Team is a mobile crisis response unit. It stands for Community Alternative Response Emergency Services. Two specially trained EMTs respond to calls for help involving mental health crisis and non-emergency medical needs. They following up afterwards to offer connections to support and resources. CARES responds Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
What To Do When You're Concerned About Someone in Saint Paul
Saint Paul residents are caring people, and sometimes we need help when someone in our neighborhood is having trouble. Whenever you call for help, the City and our partners will work with you to resolve the crisis. Beyond that, we will do our best to identify and remedy the underlying causes.
What Happens When I Call 911?
When you call 911 in Saint Paul, the Ramsey County Emergency Communications Center will answer within seconds.
- If you call, the operator will say, “911, what is your emergency?” or “911 emergency.” If you are calling from a cell phone, it may take a few seconds before you hear the phone ringing. That’s because your cell phone company takes a moment to locate the right 911 agency for your location.
- If you speak a language other than English, say the name of the language you want to speak. The operator will bring an interpreter into the conversation.
The 911 operator and dispatcher are your partners in resolving the crisis.
- Operators are trained to listen closely to your tone of voice and your words to decide on the best kind of help to send. If there is no threat of violence or weapons, make sure to say so. No matter what, try to answer as calmly and clearly as you can.
- If the operator decides you need help right now, they will bring a dispatcher onto the call. The dispatcher is your partner too. They may ask you some of the same questions over again, just to make sure they understand your situation. Then, the dispatcher will send the best possible response to you. They may send police officers, firefighters, emergency medics, or a combination.
The majority of 911 calls in Ramsey County don’t require a traditional emergency response. That’s why Saint Paul is investing in more civilian care providers. These community-first responders have specialized training and expertise to help people who are in crisis. When they can help in less urgent cases, Saint Paul emergency responders can respond more quickly to emergencies citywide.