MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Memphis 911 callers now have a fourth choice. Alongside police, fire, and EMS, callers can select a mental health option that routes them directly to trained crisis counselors, the city announced August 26, 2026, per Action News 5. The service runs 24 hours a day and covers crisis support, substance use assistance, de-escalation, and connection to local resources.
Memphis Police Chief C.J. Davis framed the change as both a service and an efficiency measure: "It does two things: it makes sure that the right people are sent with the right support, and it also cuts down on response times," per Action News 5.
What the announcement did not include is the paperwork. Coverage of the launch does not name the organization answering the calls, the contract or agreement it operates under, the annual cost, or the funding source. Those are knowable facts with public records behind them, and The 901 Report has marked each for confirmation rather than asserting them.
Routing behavioral health calls away from armed response is one of the most debated reforms in American policing, and cities that adopted it have produced measurable records: call volumes, diversion rates, and outcomes. Memphis now joins them, which means Memphis will produce those numbers too, or will have to explain why it does not.
Why It Matters for Memphis
Memphis dispatches thousands of calls involving mental health crises each year through a system built for police, fire, and medical response. A counselor option changes who shows up, which changes outcomes, liability, and cost. It also creates a new public commitment: Chief Davis' two claims, better-matched response and faster times, are both measurable against dispatch data.
The Oversight Question
A new front door to 911 opened with no published contract, price, or performance measure. Which document governs it, and when does the public get to read it?
Your city. Your money. Your receipts.
