WHATCOM COUNTY, Wash. — Whatcom County said today that their Alternative Response Team (ART) responded to 2,410 behavioral health calls in 2025, acting as a vital alternative to law enforcement.
Established in 2023, ART is dispatched by What-COMM 911 for non-violent, non-criminal incidents, such as welfare checks or disorderly conduct. Supervisor Jon Dukes describes the program as an “offramp” for residents, filling the critical gap between jail and hospitalization.
“Our most common call is someone acting bizarrely downtown,” according to Dukes. “Someone is dancing on the street corner or camped out in front of a business and they need some support.” In 2025, ART responded to 2,410 calls in Whatcom County.
The two-person teams average a 14-minute response time, focusing on de-escalation and connecting individuals to housing and mental health services. While teams are tracked via the 911 system for safety, Dukes notes that calls rarely escalate to levels requiring police intervention.
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The program is currently training students from Western Washington University and plans to extend hours into evenings and weekends as part of the county’s Justice Project expansion.
Safety concerns are central to the work ART does. They always respond in two-person teams, using the 911 CAD system so law enforcement can see where they are at any given time and all ART members are given extensive training around de-escalation and violence prevention.
– Whatcom County (January 29, 2026)
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