New Marion County team resolving crisis calls, but numbers remain low

Three years ago, civilian crisis response seemed an unlikely service in Salem. 

But a new Marion County team has been pairing mental health workers with addiction recovery mentors since January to help de-escalate people experiencing a mental health crisis. They recently expanded to operate 24 hours a day.

The team’s growth comes as public agencies shifted away from funding crisis teams that include police, instead preferring an approach led by mental health experts. In April,…