SAN JOSÉ, CA- Mayor Liccardo announced on March 17 the City of San José will receive $2.6 million from the Omnibus Appropriations Bill signed by President Joe Biden on March 11, 2022, including $1 million that will fund San José Police Department’s Mobile Crisis Assessment Team.

Originally started in 2020 from a federal Department of Justice grant for a pilot, MCAT is comprised of sworn officers trained in de-escalating mental crisis episodes and approaching mental health emergency calls through an informed, considerate approach.

“These essential investments in MCAT will allow SJPD to continue treating emergency mental health calls with dignity and help residents access proper treatment.

I am thankful to Representative Zoe Lofgren’s continued advocacy for our community as well as Representatives Anna Eshoo and Ro Khanna for prioritizing funds for San José Public Library programs.”

MCAT officers respond to crisis calls with Santa Clara County’s Mobile Crisis Response Team (MCRT) and, in addition to easing those undergoing mental emergencies and physical stress, help find treatments for residents as an alternative to either short-term or repeat incarceration.

Representatives Ro Khanna (CA-17) and Anna Eshoo (CA-18) also secured $1.5 million from the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Fund to go towards the Family, Friend, and Neighbor (FFN) Caregiver Support Network run by the San José Public Library.

FFN provides quality workforce development training directly to over one hundred caregivers of young children allowing their working parents to focus on work instead of the stress of burdensome childcare costs.