The civilian mobile support team helped divert hundreds of calls away from police and fire and connect people with health and social services during its first year.

On a recent afternoon, Sonoma County Behavioral Health therapist Matthew Taylor glanced at the dispatch system as a new call came through for the InResponse team.

“Is this the teenager?” he asked aloud, recognizing the person from a previous interaction.

“We have to take a very soft approach,” paramedic Jake Ortlinghaus added as the two sat in their Sonoma Avenue office