Project funding will be used to embed a licensed mental health counselor embedded within the agency's mobile crisis team

The mobile crisis team will be proactive in contacting homeless individuals and checking on their welfare to assist them in receiving the needed care. The mobile crisis team will also respond to all 911 mental health-related calls. A mental health counselor with the team allows both the officer and counselor to contact an individual that may be reluctant to seek behavioral health services. The funding will also allow the department to host crisis intervention training and DE-escalation training to get more officers CIT certified. Having the officers attend this advanced training will give our officers the tools to have a better understanding and patience when dealing with individuals that are experiencing a mental health crisis. We also plan for our non-sworn civilian personnel (dispatchers and records personnel) to attend crisis intervention and DE-escalation training. Our dispatchers are usually the first contact for an individual dealing with a mental health crisis but occasionally incidents occur within our police department lobby where records personnel may be required to initially deal with someone with mental health issues.