As we honor Mental Health Awareness Month – we want to acknowledge the integral role mental health resources and partnerships play in public safety and community policing. As we do so, we are sharing a little more about work being done here at BPD.
The Boston Police Department participates in Hub Tables across the City. Hub Tables confidentially connect individuals and families meeting a threshold for acutely elevated risk (AER) with service providers equipped to offer timely, coordinated support. AER refers to a situation with a high probability of imminent harm that requires a multi-agency response to prevent crisis situations—often those that would otherwise result in a 911 call. Risk factors can include housing instability, substance use, mental health concerns, inability to meet basic needs, criminal victimization, and more.
Hub Tables started in Jamaica Plain and East Boston, and have been expanded to include Tables in Roxbury, Dorchester, West Roxbury, Roslindale, and Hyde Park. Last year, a Citywide Hub Coordinator was added to these efforts, developing work plans for each neighborhood, supported by a March 2025 training with more than 100 participants from city and state agencies, community organizations, and BPD personnel.
Since they started, Boston Hub Tables have addressed 953 situations of elevated risk, with 70% resulting in successful connection to services.
If you know of someone or a situation that might benefit from a Hub Table intervention, please click on your neighborhood/District and find the contact for your local District “Community Service Office”.
If you want to more learn about BPD’s efforts around Mental Health – go to BPDnews.com/mentalhealth
