I too would love to know where the money is going, where the heck is it?
Yes, they have always been first responders but in several communities, and in ours, there used to be on staff or available trained mental health professionals who were the responders for mental health crises and these departments or resources were cut, while not providing extensive training for those who are responding. One or two courses does not make someone qualified, not making them fully able to help in the process, not getting the person in crisis the help they need and further stressing an already strained personnel. It sometimes hurts everyone more than it helps. It is just one of many examples of not looking at the wide reaching repercussions of a cut.