Social workers, police could team up to handle 911 calls in Ann Arbor under new program

ANN ARBOR, MI — After over four years of talks, Ann Arbor now has a model for an unarmed response program that could launch in 2026, using social workers instead of police to handle 911 calls such as nonviolent mental health crises.

SPROUT, a new Supportive Resources and Outreach Team proposed to be housed under the city’s Supportive Connections office, would function independently, handling some calls on its own, and team up with the Ann Arbor Police Department on other calls.

SPROUT would serve as a compassionate, community-based alternative to traditional crisis response, said Jonathan Laye, Supportive Connections director.

“The SPROUT teams will meet residents where they are, providing supportive intervention and connection to care for those experiencing behavior health, substance u