01-05-2025
Local cities to launch co-responder teams of clinicians, police to respond to mental health crises
Police departments from five Miami Valley cities are coming together in the hopes of bridging the gap between law enforcement and mental health services.
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The regional Co-Responder Program will include Moraine, Centerville, Oakwood, West Carrollton, and Miamisburg.
The collaborative will provide two licensed mental health clinicians from South Community Behavioral Health Services to be shared among the participating departments, according to a media release.
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The clinicians will ride along with officers and respond directly to people experiencing a mental health crisis and provide follow-up care.
'Like many communities across the country, West Carrollton is seeing an increased need for compassionate, professional responses to calls involving mental health or addiction,' Interim Police Chief David Wessling said. 'This partnership allows us to provide better care for our residents while supporting our first responders with the tools and expertise they need in the field.'
The program will be funded by National Opioid Settlement money.
Pending final approval from all 5 communities, the program is slated to begin on June 1, 2025, and continue through December 2028.
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