Brookhaven Police forges innovative methods to address mental health concerns with two mental health professionals
Mental health pros create non-law enforcement intervention alternative within its Force
Brookhaven, GA, Oct. 26, 2020 - Mental health and crisis intervention are issues that Brookhaven Police Department (BPD) officers deal with on a daily basis. In a department with a reputation for implementing the latest law enforcement protocols, these daily occurrences, plus an increase in mental health-related 911 calls since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, prompted the recent creation of a crisis intervention team (CIT).
This innovative co-responder model of police-based crisis intervention will help persons with mental disorders have access to medical treatment rather than place them in the criminal justice system due to illness-related behaviors.
Thanks to a $14,737 grant recently awarded to the BPD, two new mental health professionals were recently added to the team to provide onsite evaluations as officers respond to crisis calls. The 2020 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant was awarded by the U.S. Department of Justice.
“When a person is in a mental health crisis and a 911 call comes in, officers will be dispatched,” says BPD Lt. Abrem Ayana, the force’s CIT instructor. “While the officers want to help in every way, often they may lack the appropriate resources and advanced training to fully evaluate the situation. We can get the mental health professionals involved who can make contact with the person and de-escalate the situation.”
“Through their training and experience,” Ayana continued, “a crisis intervention specialist will be able to determine if this is a person that is in the middle of a mental health emergency and needs to be transported for an evaluation. The qualified mental health professional has the ability, under statutory law in Georgia, to sign a certificate authorizing transport of that person to a nearby receiving facility who can help them through that crisis whether it be with medication or therapeutic services.”
A key component of the Brookhaven CIT is a working relationship with Behavioral Health Link (BHL), a private entity that contracts with the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health & Developmental Disabilities to provide key crisis services across the state. BHL operates the Georgia Crisis & Access Line (GCAL) and Mobile Crisis Response Services that link callers with trained professionals who provide the most appropriate linkage to care for mental health crises, developmental disabilities, and substance abuse crises. While these programs already serve the Brookhaven area, this collaboration allows BHL to concentrate resources where the demand for intervention is high, thereby permitting a more rapid response time to crises than usual. BHL provided the two clinicians to BPD, and through this partnership.
Brookhaven police now have mental health professionals in-house 40 hours a week to respond to calls for service and conduct follow-ups in the community in response to officer referrals.
“The Brookhaven CIT specialists will be assigned primarily to work with uniform patrol,” Ayana added. “They will be available to respond to 911 calls which involve mental health. These officers will work to assist the individual with receiving support, education, and treatment and this work will be instrumental in keeping those with mental illness from becoming involved in the criminal justice system. In addition, the clinicians’ training in de-escalation will reduce officers’ use of force when responding to persons in crisis.” Between crisis calls at the BPD, the clinicians will be assisting with filing reports and other duties as needed. They will also do follow-up work in the community on active cases.
The Brookhaven CIT will also provide several other important services. As first responder suicide continues to be an increasing threat to law enforcement departments nationwide, CIT members will be trained in individual and group crisis intervention to work with local officers after critical incidents (especially those that result in a fatality). The BHL clinician, also trained in critical incident response, will assist with critical incident debriefs and education on stress management and post-traumatic stress response.
In addition, some of the grant funds will be used to ensure BPD officers and clinicians receive ongoing training on the most up-to-date methods used in the field. Currently, for now, the CIT members also need protection during the current COVID-19 pandemic. The acquisition of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is a must for the officers and clinicians to use and will be purchased using grant monies as well as costs associated with attending CIT training conferences. Certain educational materials will be needed to provide reference materials for both the CIT and the public and grant funds will be used to create literature on mental illness and resource pamphlets for officers to hand out to the general public or during mental crisis situations.
“Having mental health experts going on calls within the Brookhaven Police Department will be a unique and useful tool for the citizens of Brookhaven and a model for the region and the country,” noted Brookhaven Mayor John Ernst. “This model directly addresses concerns for non-law enforcement intervention in cases involving mental health issues, and it does so without siphoning resources away from fighting crime. This team will provide appropriate care at a level not seen before in the region. I commend GA Police Chief of the Year Gary Yandura and the whole Brookhaven police force for their vision, innovation and compassion.”
Media Contact:
Burke Brennan
Director of Communications
404-637-0709
Burke.Brennan@BrookhavenGA.gov
