Here's What Happens When Social Workers, Not Police, Respond To Mental Health Crises - Honolulu Civil Beat Here’s What Happens When Social Workers, Not Police, Respond To Mental Health Crises More cities are adopting a model for de-escalation that has the potential to benefit people with mental illness, allow police to focus on serious crime and save taxpayer dollars. Reading time: 9 minutes. When Lisa Gonzalez saw an encampment of homeless people growing in her Waikiki neighborhood last year, she wanted to direct some assistance their way but wasn’t sure who to call. They exhibited troubling behavior, she said, like defecating out in the open. But she didn’t want to dial 911 and have the police respond. She didn’t have much faith they would help.