Shaker Heights is stepping in to temporarily run First CALL, the five-city mental health response program that pairs licensed social workers and peer specialists with first responders, after the nonprofit operating it announced it is folding. City officials say the move is designed to keep the crisis teams in the field across partner suburbs while they hunt for a long-term operator. In the interim, Shaker plans to hire First CALL staff on a short-term basis so coverage does not lapse during the handoff.
Program origins and partner cities
First CALL started as a Shaker Heights pilot in 2022 and expanded in 2024 to include Cleveland Heights, University Heights, Richmond Heights and South Euclid, with support from county, foundation and federal grants, according to MetroHealth and Cuyahoga County. The model embeds clinicians and peer support staff alongside police and fire responders to provide de-escalation, short-term counseling and connections to longer-term services.
How First CALL runs today
The program currently operates three teams that cover the five partner cities and is dispatched through the Chagrin Valley regional 911 center, the City of Shaker Heights notes on its First CALL page. Municipal meeting materials showed a contract with Recovery Resources, the nonprofit that had been providing the field staff, was in place through mid-May 2026 and that additional clinician staffing would be required to serve any further expansion.
Why Shaker is stepping in
As reported by Cleveland.com, Recovery Resources announced it is disbanding, leaving the five-city program without an outside operator. Shaker officials say the city will temporarily employ the First CALL staff and that the city's insurance carrier should cover liability for the teams without increasing Shaker's premiums.
“The program has been tremendously important and valuable and we want to continue it,” Vice Mayor Kim Bixenstine told Cleveland.com. Mayor David Weiss described the move as a stop-gap and said the long-term goal is to transfer management to a nonprofit or other third party while the city solicits proposals and evaluates options.
Funding, regional interest and what’s next
Officials say grant funding and county support will keep First CALL operating as the city searches for a permanent manager; Cuyahoga County has a countywide funding effort to expand co-response work across the region. MetroHealth and Recovery Resources helped launch the original pilot in partnership with the city, and local reporting in Cleveland Magazine and municipal minutes from Orange Village show neighboring communities such as Beachwood and Orange have discussed joining or collaborating with the regional effort. Shaker leaders say they will continue service hours and staffing levels while vetting nonprofit partners and working with funders to stabilize operations.
City officials emphasize that the change is intended to be seamless for residents: people should still call 911 for emergencies and responders will dispatch the most appropriate team, and non-emergency referrals and follow-ups will continue under the temporary arrangement. Municipal pages list program hours and contact points for First CALL while the city completes its search for a long-term operator.
