A resolution approving a proposed Fifth Amendatory Agreement between the City…

This resolution authorizes a fifth amendment to an existing services contract between Denver and Servicios de La Raza, a community-based nonprofit organization specializing in behavioral health and social services for Latino and underserved communities. The amendment adds $2.7 million in funding and extends the contract end date by twelve months to December 31, 2026, bringing the cumulative contract total to $10,035,000. The STAR program, which the contract supports, was launched in Denver in 2020 as an alternative emergency response model. The STAR program dispatches mental health clinicians and paramedics to low-acuity 911 calls involving behavioral health crises, substance use issues, or social service needs, rather than sending sworn police officers. Servicios de La Raza provides the case management and follow-up services that connect individuals encountered during STAR responses to ongoing community resources, housing assistance, and behavioral health treatment. The culturally appropriate framing of these services is significant given Denver's large Spanish-speaking and Latino population, many of whom may face language or cultural barriers to accessing mainstream social services. Fiscally, the $2.7 million addition represents a continued municipal investment in alternative emergency response infrastructure. Since this is the fifth amendment, the program has grown substantially from its original contract scope, reflecting both expanded service demand and political support at the city level. The funding comes from city environmental and health department allocations, as indicated by the contract identifier prefix (ENVHL). Stakeholders affected include Denver residents who call 911 for behavioral health or social crises, the staff and leadership of Servicios de La Raza, Denver Police Department (whose call volume may be partially reduced), and taxpayers who fund the program. Public safety advocates, mental health professionals, and community organizations focused on equity and criminal justice reform have broadly supported STAR since its launch. Critics have raised questions about program scope, accountability, and whether alternative response models are appropriate for all call types. The Denver City Council's Human Services and Economic Development Committee approved filing this item on December 24, 2025, and the full council review deadline falls on January 26, 2026. No state or federal constitutional issues are raised by a standard municipal services contract of this nature.

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Denver's city council is weighing a fifth amendment to its contract with Servicios de La Raza, a nonprofit behavioral health provider, to keep the Support Team Assisted Response (STAR) program running through the end of 2026. The amendment adds $2.7 million to the agreement, pushing the total contract value to just over $10 million. STAR sends mental health clinicians and paramedics to certain 911 calls, particularly those involving behavioral health crises or social service needs, rather than dispatching police officers. Supporters of the extension include mental health advocates, community organizations serving Denver's Latino population, and city officials who argue the program delivers measurable results at a lower cost per call than traditional police response. Servicios de La Raza is valued by proponents specifically because its staff provide services in Spanish and are embedded in Latino community networks, making it easier to connect clients to ongoing care after an initial crisis encounter. The Denver City Council's Human Services and Economic Development Committee approved the item for consideration on December 24, 2025. Critics of the STAR model more broadly, including some law enforcement voices and fiscal watchdog groups, have questioned whether the program's call-screening protocols are rigorous enough to prevent clinicians from being dispatched to situations that escalate unexpectedly. Others have noted that this is the fifth amendment to the same contract, raising procedural questions about whether the city should periodically reopen the work to competitive bidding to ensure accountability and best value for taxpayers. For ordinary Denver residents, the practical effect of the extension is that the STAR program continues operating citywide through December 2026, meaning that calls involving mental health distress, substance use, or related social crises may continue to receive a non-police response. For community members who have historically been reluctant to call 911, the availability of clinicians who speak Spanish and understand local cultural context may lower the barrier to seeking help during a crisis.