Nashville police want to expand a pilot program that pairs some call officers with mental health experts, a program officials at a meeting yesterday that discussed early results hailed as a game changer.
- “Having the medics in the field with us is invaluable,” Lt. Anthony Brooks said. “When we have the doctor in the field, it gives us a new set of data that we didn’t have before.”
- Brooks said professionals have referred people to services in cases that might otherwise have resulted in an arrest.
Why it matters: Police responses to mental health crises are under intense scrutiny after Nine officers fatally shot a man on Interstate 65 last week. Several Metro councilmembers called to expand the pilot mental health program after the shooting.
- “Certainly last week’s tragic incident demonstrates the importance of this work,” said Dia Cirillo, senior policy adviser in Mayor John Cooper’s office. during the meeting.
Driving the news: City officials plan to use the data from the calls to begin expanding the program from two to four precincts in the coming months.
- The model could be deployed on the center campus in May.
- Officials expect it will take another two years to expand the program to all campuses.
By the numbers: Mental health workers have responded alongside police to 821 calls since the pilot program was launched at the Hermitage and North campuses in June 2021.
- Only 4% of the 279 calls registered between September 29 and December 29. 28 resulted in arrests, according to city data.
- Other calls resulted in referrals to community services, medical care, or other support.
Context: Counselors may only participate when there is no perceived physical threat.
What they are saying: “We’re really pleased with what we’ve done so far,” said Inspector David Imhof, who heads the department’s Office of Alternative Policing Strategies. “We have a lot of work ahead of us and we know we have a lot of officers to train.”
What they are saying: “We’re really pleased with what we’ve done so far,” said Inspector David Imhof, who heads the department’s Office of Alternative Policing Strategies. “We have a lot of work ahead of us and we know we have a lot of officers to train.”
- Precincts not yet participating in the program will still receive additional training and have access to mental health consultation, Imhof said.
What to see: Only six mental health doctors from the Mental Health Cooperative are currently working on the police pilot program. The growth of that group will be an essential part of the program in the future.
- “There is an acute shortage of the behavioral health workforce,” Cirillo tells Axios. “That’s a challenge.”
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