2026 Advancing the Field of Alternative Response Convening: Establishing Permanence

Join national leaders in Chicago for two days of panels and conversation focused on “Establishing Permanence”— ensuring that alternative response becomes a recognized profession and a durable part of public safety systems. Historically, 911 systems dispatch police to all types of emergencies—mental health crises, wellness checks, disputes—regardless of whether police are the best-equipped responders. Alternative response programs take a different approach, sending unarmed professionals like clinicians, peer responders, or mediators to appropriate calls. These programs are growing rapidly, but the work still lacks the structure and visibility of a true field. This convening aims to provide infrastructure, standards, support systems, and a strong network for practitioners in this field, fostering a professional identity and a regular space to connect, reflect, and grow together. The goal is to establish alternative response programs as integral components of the public safety and wellness infrastructure, moving beyond being perceived as merely 'alternative'. The convening is a space for collective learning, innovation, and strategy, where participants share challenges, explore emerging models, and build relationships to strengthen the national movement toward care-based responses, without relying on law enforcement as the first or only response.