Seattle’s ‘CARE’ team expected to double in size under Mayor Harrell’s 2026 budget
During a press conference on Sept. 9, 2025, Seattle’s mayor announced new public safety investments as part of the 2026 budget. (KOMO).
SEATTLE — Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell and other city officials shared details on new investments to expand public health, emergency response, treatment, and diversion programs during a press conference on Thursday.
During the press conference at Fire Station 10, the CARE department, Seattle’s third branch of public safety, was praised by the mayor for providing extraordinary service and public safety solutions over the last two years.
Mayor Harrell’s proposal includes doubling the size of the CARE Department Crisis Response Team, which currently has 26 members, according to Chief Amy Barden with the CARE Department.
The Seattle CARE Department operates the 9-1-1 Communications Center and the Community Crisis Responder (CCR) Team, according to the city’s website. The 911 Communications Center initially screens all incoming 911 calls within the city of Seattle and oversees public safety radio dispatching of Seattle Police Department personnel and CARE CCRs. The 911 Communications Center is also responsible for answering the City of Seattle non-emergency line at (206) 625-5011.
The CARE team of crisis responders has been slowly growing since the department was established in the fall of 2023.
The budget proposal would also add 20 new fire recruits; the additional firefighters would make a direct and positive impact on the community, said Seattle Fire Chief Harold Scoggins.
The funds in the budget would also go to expanding the post-overdose response team, which, under the budget proposal, would get $1.5 million invested, according to Mayor Harrell.
Other funds would be allocated to provider-led public health programs, Mayor Harrell said.