In February 2026, the University of Chicago Health Lab published the results from its two-year implementation evaluation of the Washtenaw County, MI, Co-Response Unit (CRU) Pilot Program. This promising initiative was the result of a partnership between the Washtenaw County, MI, Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) and Community Mental Health (CMH). Prior to launching the pilot, the WCSO and CMH asked Health Lab to support their efforts by conducting an implementation evaluation, which included a detailed look at the context, program logistics, processes and overall development of the pilot. The project team conducted interviews, ride-alongs on CRU team responses, sit-alongs with 911 professionals, and analyses of administrative program data, including computer-aided dispatch (CAD) data, CRU activity logs, and officer-generated crime reports. 

The Washtenaw CRU Pilot is one example of the new forms of expanded first response programs that have proliferated throughout the country over the past decade. Health Lab’s implementation evaluation was designed to help policymakers in Washtenaw County identify and resolve operational challenges before implementation at-scale. This study also generated in-depth insights for policymakers, practitioners, and communities interested in implementing similar expanded first response programs in cities, counties, and states across the nation. 

Read the report here.