Birmingham Unveils $1.7 Million Program That Responds to Non-Emergency Calls for the Homeless

By Sym Posey | The Birmingham Times The City of Birmingham on Tuesday announced a $1.7 million contract with Urban Alchemy, a California-based organization, that will provide a public safety and call program responding to non-emergency situations involving the city’s homeless population. Urban Alchemy will respond to non-emergency 911 and 311 calls relating to the homeless. Most of those working with the company have overcome long-term incarceration, homelessness, mental illness and/or drug addiction. That helps when it comes to de-escalating situations that can lead to confrontations with law enforcement, said Kirkpatrick Tyler, Urban Alchemy’s Chief of Community and Government Relations. “When an unhoused neighbor is experiencing a crisis, they often panic when an armed, uniformed law enforcement officer shows up, which can lead to unnecessary escalation that can have tragic outcomes,” said Tyler on Tuesday. “Our team members are trained to empathize and calm everyone involved down. They then offer to connect the person in crisis to resources they may need, such as shelter and medical care.” Founded in 2018, the company’s Homeless Engagement Assistance Response Team (HEART) has seen success in de-escalating situations in and around San Francisco, Los Angeles, Portland, and Austin where it has addressed homelessness, crime,...