CARES Program Expands Service to Sun Prairie Starting in February

The City of Sun Prairie is excited to announce the expansion of services from the Madison Fire Department’s Community Alternative Response Emergency Services (CARES) Program to the community, beginning Monday, February 3. This expansion is made possible through an agreement between the City of Sun Prairie, the City of Madison, and Dane County.

First implemented in Madison in 2021, the CARES program offers an innovative resource for addressing behavioral health emergencies. By integrating medical and behavioral healthcare at the onset of crisis intervention, CARES strives to improve outcomes for individuals experiencing a behavioral healthcare crisis, while increasing patient satisfaction, and diverting patients away from emergency rooms and jails.

The CARES teams consist of a Madison Fire Department community paramedic and a Journey Mental Health crisis worker, both trained to respond to non-violent behavioral health emergencies that do not require law enforcement. Services are available weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and weekends from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. The expansion of services to Sun Prairie comes at a critical time as data highlights a significant need within the community.

In the first quarter of 2024, Sun Prairie Fire and Emergency Medical Services responded to 42 incidents involving individuals with mental health concerns who could have benefited from CARES, while the Police Department responded to 32 similar incidents. Based on calls-for-service data from 2021 to 2023, the City projects an annual demand of 123 CARES-related calls.

“The CARES program has been very successful in Madison at connecting people to the resources they need,” said Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway. “We know that a holistic approach to public safety produces better outcomes for all residents, and that Madison is safer when our neighboring cities are safer. I want to welcome Sun Prairie to the team — it is a win-win for both our cities. This partnership will foster more innovation and help ensure the long-term success of the CARES program.”

“The City of Sun Prairie stands to benefit significantly from the CARES program expansion, as it will enhance the alignment between mental health crisis response and the needs of mental health consumers in the community,” said Mayor Paul Esser. “This expansion allows community members to receive real-time support from trained mental health professionals, providing a more tailored alternative to traditional emergency services.”

"Expanding mobile crisis to Sun Prairie is a critical step in ensuring that all Dane County residents have access to compassionate crisis response services," said Dane County Executive Melissa Agard. "By investing in pilot programs we are seeking to find the best solutions for everyone to create a safer, more supportive environment for individuals in crisis."

Learn more about the CARES program.

About City of Sun Prairie

Sun Prairie is a vibrant and thriving community located in northeastern Dane County, just east of the City of Madison. The City of Sun Prairie has experienced strong population growth since its incorporation from a village to a city in 1958, undergoing a transformation from a relatively small community of less than 4,000 to an estimated 39,419 today.