Cleveland City Council passes 'Tanisha's Law' to improve mental health crisis response

The new law creates a dedicated crisis response team to handle non-violent behavioral health calls instead of police.

Feb. 2, 2026 at 10:15pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The Cleveland City Council has passed 'Tanisha's Law', legislation that establishes a new Bureau of Community Crisis Response to handle mental health emergencies. The law was spearheaded by city council members after the 2014 death of Tanisha Anderson, who died in police custody during a mental health crisis. The new crisis response teams will include behavioral health professionals, social workers, and clinicians to provide a more appropriate, dignified, and effective response to non-violent calls involving mental health, substance use, and wellness checks.

Why it matters

Tanisha's death highlighted the need for better approaches to mental health crises, which often result in unnecessary escalation and tragic outcomes when handled by traditional law enforcement. This new law aims to prevent such tragedies by creating a specialized crisis response system focused on de-escalation and connecting individuals to appropriate mental health resources.

The details

Tanisha's Law will establish unarmed crisis response teams to handle certain 911 calls, including non-violent behavioral health crises, wellness checks, substance use emergencies, and other quality of life issues. These teams will be comprised of behavioral health professionals, social workers, peers with lived experience, and clinicians who can provide a more compassionate and effective response than traditional police intervention.

  • Tanisha Anderson died in police custody during a mental health crisis in November 2014.
  • The Cleveland City Council passed Tanisha's Law on February 2, 2026.

The players

Tanisha Anderson

A Cleveland resident who died in police custody during a mental health crisis in 2014, sparking the push for legislative reform.

Michael Anderson

Tanisha Anderson's uncle, who has been fighting alongside the family for over a decade to reform how the city responds to mental health emergencies.

Stephanie Howse-Jones

A Cleveland City Councilmember who spearheaded the legislation that became Tanisha's Law.

Charles Slife

A Cleveland City Councilmember who co-sponsored the legislation that became Tanisha's Law.

Rebecca Maurer

A former Cleveland City Councilmember who helped develop the legislation that became Tanisha's Law.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“I've always said until Tanisha's law is passed, to me she's still laying out there on that sidewalk. Tonight it's like a resurrection for the family.”

— Michael Anderson, Tanisha Anderson's uncle (cleveland19.com)

“You now have a community, a city who recognizes you for who you are and the different challenges that you may have. We are now going to partner with you and be able to meet you with dignity and give you the appropriate care if crisis arise.”

— Stephanie Howse-Jones, Cleveland City Councilmember (cleveland19.com)

“Tanisha lives. It's a great night.”

— Michael Anderson, Tanisha Anderson's uncle (cleveland19.com)

What’s next

The city administration says it remains committed to a 'whole-of-government approach to crisis response' and will continue working with City Council and the community to stand up the new Bureau of Community Crisis Response.

The takeaway

Tanisha's Law represents an important step forward in how Cleveland responds to mental health emergencies, shifting away from traditional law enforcement approaches towards a more compassionate, dignified, and effective crisis response system led by trained mental health professionals. This change aims to prevent future tragedies like Tanisha Anderson's death and better support individuals experiencing behavioral health crises.