West Michigan law enforcement to improve crisis response with federal grant - WWMT-TV
KALAMAZOO, Mich. — A $550,000 federal grant will allow mental health staff to work with West Michigan law enforcement agencies to improve crisis response involving people with mental illness and substance abuse issues.
The U.S. Bureau of Justice Assistance awarded the grant to Integrated Services of Kalamazoo (ISK), a community mental health service provider, under the program called Connect and Protect: Law Enforcement Behavioral Health Responses.
The grant will fund the creation of a police-mental health collaboration (PMHC), ISK said. Its goal is to improve public safety responses and outcomes for people with mental illness and substance abuse disorders whenever they interact with law enforcement.
ISK said it will work with the Kalamazoo County Sheriff's Office, as well as police and public safety departments in Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo Township, Portage, Vicksburg, Richland, Augusta and Schoolcraft. Furthermore, ISK said it will work with Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo Valley Community College and Kalamazoo County Consolidated Dispatch.
"Recognizing that law enforcement has become a primary source of contact for individuals experiencing psychiatric and/or substance use crises, the PMHC will develop a consistent, cross-system crisis response model that includes mental health expertise and defines clear procedures for all responders: dispatch, ISK and law enforcement agencies. As co-responders with public safety officers, emergency mental health staff will provide triage and de-escalation for individuals in a mental health crisis and facilitate access to emergency and follow-up services from the mental health system," said ISK in a news release.
The grant will also help further develop a 24/7 crisis-response drop-off center for people with mental illness and/or substance abuse struggles. Staffed by ISK emergency mental health clinicians, the center will be an alternative to the emergency department or jail. It will help connect people to help and resources, ISK said.
Lindsey O’Neil, supervisor of Jail Diversion Services and co-project director of the 8th District Mental Health Recovery Court, will serve as coordinator of the PMHC. She is also a mental health consultant for the Kalamazoo County Crisis Negotiation SWAT team and a member of the Community Corrections Advisory Board.
Kalamazoo County Sheriff Richard Fuller said he supports the collaboration.
“It will expand our ability to respond to calls for service when a person is likely having a mental health emergency,” Fuller said in a statement. “Sometimes, reported criminal activity involves someone having a mental health emergency. While we have a high level of trained law enforcement responders in Kalamazoo, the need exists for highly trained and experienced mental health workers responding with law enforcement.”
ISK said 21.2% of the people it served (1,561 out of 7,349 individuals) had been involved in the criminal justice system in fiscal year 2019 to 2020.
“Many people referred to mental health services through law enforcement don’t engage effectively in needed treatment and receive fewer services than those without criminal justice involvement,” said ISK CEO Jeff Patton.
source: https://wwmt.com/news/local/west-michigan-law-enforcement-to-improve-crisis-response-with-federal-grant
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