In order to do this, most jurisdictions have formed a planning team and/or a community stakeholder group to seek input from relevant people within the community, build plans for a sustainable program, and establish processes for continued improvements. This team or group will also determine how the program will coordinate with partner agencies to assist in daily operations.

In most instances, grassroots organizations and other advocates in the community have been working to build programs to assist people in need and, therefore, are great resources for jurisdictions interested in developing a community responder program. Jurisdictions should seek their input first to help evaluate and assess the need for a community responder program and how it can be most effective. Some important ways to get input from community members include conducting surveys, holding focus groups, and meeting with advocates who have likely already gathered feedback from residents. Additionally, since these programs will need to be part of a larger network of responses and services to be most effective, the planning team should also collaborate with representatives from 211, 311, 911, local crisis lines, law enforcement, emergency medical services (EMS), and community-based health and social service providers.

These may include calls for disorderly conduct, noise complaints, or wellness checks. When designing the program, the community should consider the role of the community responder program and how it will complement other efforts to enhance their crisis services. The calls that the program will address should inform the types of services that the team(s) will provide, the initial and ongoing training staff will need, and the data that should be collected to provide a baseline for any needed improvements. Many jurisdictions have also conducted pilot programs in high-need areas to determine the most appropriate services to provide before scaling these efforts across a city or county.

Some existing community responder programs have started with a pilot in specific neighborhoods at certain times of day and then chosen to scale up as needed.

Depending on the types of services and supports the team is going to provide, these individuals may need training in conflict de-escalation, mental health response, substance use response, and basic medical care (e.g., first aid, naloxone administration). If teams are planning to respond to basic medical needs and drug overdoses, then there should also be conversations about staffing the team with back up medical support as needed. Successful community responder teams also are staffed with people who have established trust, or who are able to develop trusting relationships, with the people they are going to serve. It may be an advantage for staff members to have a previous history or direct experience with the criminal justice or behavioral health systems; this common experience with clients can help responders build trust with the people they are working with.

Community responder programs have sought to address these concerns by working with community members to think differently about first responders and rebuild crisis systems that advance justice, support human dignity, and promote equity. As part of these efforts, they have advocated for additional funding for health services in underserved neighborhoods. They have also pushed for funding to be directed to service providers who have already been serving communities hit hardest by the national disinvestment in community health care and social services, such as BIPOC communities and people with behavioral health conditions.