MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT - MENTAL HEALTH CO-RESPONDER PROGRAMMEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT
This Memorandum of Agreement ("Agreement") is entered into, as of this _1st_ day of
_October , 2026, by and between Bob Gualtieri, as Sheriff of Pinellas County,
Florida ("Sheriff') and the City of Clearwater Police Department (CPD) (collectively referred to
herein as "Parties").
RECITALS
WHEREAS, law enforcement routinely responds to calls involving people with mental
and behavioral health issues;
WHEREAS, Florida law authorizes law enforcement officers to take people into custody
for an involuntary mental health examination under the State's Baker Act;
WHEREAS, law enforcement officers receive some training to assist them in recognizing
mental and behavioral health disorders, but law enforcement officers are not mental health
providers;
WHEREAS, it is likely to result in better outcomes, including avoiding having to take
people into custody, if law enforcement officers are accompanied by a mental health professional
when responding to calls involving individuals exhibiting signs and symptoms of mental or
behavioral health issues.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual covenants and
promises herein contained, the Parties, intending to be legally bound, do hereby agree to participate
in the Pinellas County Mental Health Unit (MHU) pursuant to the terms and conditions as listed
herein.
1. Composition of the Mental Health Unit. To accomplish the goals of this
Agreement, the MHU will be staffed by deputy sheriffs employed by the Pinellas County
Sheriff's Office, police officers employed by the Clearwater Police Department and co-
response crisis response specialists employed by the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office. The
MHU law enforcement officers will be co-supervised by a law enforcement sergeant
employed by the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office and by a law enforcement sergeant
employed by the Clearwater Police Department. The crisis response specialists will be
supervised by a licensed clinical supervisor employed by the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.
2. Purpose. The purpose of the MHU is to implement a mental health co-response
model under which a deputy sheriff or police officer will respond to mental and behavioral health
related calls accompanied by a mental health professional. The co-response team will work
collaboratively to assess the situation and determine the best response to the situation. The MHU
will also provide follow-up care and referral to long-term case management for those in need in
an effort to reduce repeated calls and recidivism in the mental health and criminal justice systems.
3. Team Structure. The MHU will be comprised of eight teams. Six teams will be
staffed with a deputy sheriff and a crisis response specialist and two teams will be staffed by a
CPD officer and a crisis response specialist. Some teams will be assigned as primary responders
to active calls involving people with mental or behavioral health issues. Some teams will be
assigned to follow-up care and case management. The two CPD teams will be assigned as primary
responders to active calls primarily occurring within the city of Clearwater.
4. Sheriff's Supervisory Responsibility for Crisis Response Specialists. The crisis
response specialists are solely employees of the Sheriff and there is no employment relationship
between the crisis response specialists and CPD or the City of Clearwater. Sheriff is solely
responsible for hiring and supervising the crisis response specialists.
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5. CPD's Responsibility for Officers. The CPD officers assigned to the MHU remain
CPD employees and CPD is solely responsible for the officers' salaries, benefits and any other
compensation. The officers are not employees of the Sheriff. The CPD officers assigned to the
MHU shall be governed by all policies and procedures applicable to them by CPD.
6. Term. This MOA shall be for a period of one (1) year commencing October 1,
2026, and concluding September 30, 2027.
7. Costs. The Parties shall each bear their own personnel costs, including all
overtime expenses associated with MHU activities, except that CPD will reimburse Sheriff for
the costs of two crisis response specialists assigned to team with the CPD officers. CPD shall pay
to Sheriff the annual amount of $121,130.00 for each crisis response specialist. CPD shall not be
responsible to pay the costs of the two crisis response specialists assigned to the team with the
CPD officers if those positions are vacant and unfilled for more than two consecutive weeks. This
amount represents base salary plus all benefit costs. The CPD shall pay to the SHERIFF, as
payment in full for the two crisis response specialists, the sum of TWO HUNDRED FORTY-TWO
THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED SIXTY DOLLARS AND NO CENTS (242,260.00), as detailed
in Attachment 1. The CPD agrees to pay to the SHERIFF within thirty (30) days of the effective
date of this Agreement.
8. Termination. This MOA will remain in effect unless terminated as set forth herein.
Either party can terminate this MOA by providing the other party thirty (30) days written notice.
If the agreement is terminated by either party prior to the end of the term, the SHERIFF will issue
a prorated refund to CPD. The refund amount will be based on the number of months remaining
in the agreement and will equal the total annual amount paid divided by 12 months and then
multiplied by the remaining number of months in the agreement.
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9. Sovereign Immunity. Nothing herein is intended to waive or abrogate any parties
entitlement to sovereign immunity or its provisions as set forth in F.S. § 768.28.
10. Third Party Beneficiary. Nothing herein is intended to create any third party
benefit.
11. Governing Law. The validity, interpretation, and enforcement of this Agreement
shall be governed by, construed and interpreted in accordance with, the laws of the State of Florida.
12. Entire Agreement. This Agreement contains the entire agreement and
understanding of the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior
agreements, written or oral, and all other communications between the parties relating to such
subject matter.
13. Amendments and Modifications. This Agreement shall not be amended, altered,
modified, or changed except by a written agreement signed by the Parties.
14. Notice. All notices given under this Agreement shall be in writing and deemed
effectively given when sent by certified mail, or in person with proof of delivery, to the respective
Party's headquarters. Any party changing their headquarters address or requesting notice to an
alternative address must notify the other parties in writing at least 30 days prior to the new notice
address becoming effective.
15. Acknowledgement. The Parties acknowledge having read this Agreement in full,
understand all of its terms and obligations and they enter into this Agreement freely and
voluntarily.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF the parties to this Agreement have caused the same to be signed by
their duly authorized representatives this, , day of 2026.
CITY OF CLEARWATER
ATTEST:
APPROVED AS TO FORM
pi
Mayor -721
1'.-)/—
an CCer
City Attorney Chief of Police
PINELLAS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE
Bob Gualtieri, Sheriff
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Attachment 1
Clearwater PD
Mental Health Unit
Worksheet - FY 27
A. Cost per Crisis Response Specialist (CRS)
B. CRS by Position
Number CRS
2 x $ 121,130.00 $ 242,260.00
TOTAL
Increase from prior year -amount
Increase from prior year -percentage
Yearly $ 242,260.00
Rounding $
Contract Amount $
242,260.00
Total amount due on October 1 $ 242,260.00
$ 242,260.00 / $ 198,880.00 $ 43,380.00
21.81%