Why the Co-responder model is important:
Pairing Cops with Mental Health Professionals
Lt. Eric Pisconski (Ret) / Seattle Police Department
Tac-D Solutions – Founder
Communities and various municipal agencies across the country are piloting and expanding options to combine mental health professionals with first responders in a ‘co-responder model’. The goal is to take a more holistic approach with individuals experiencing mental health issues. While most are law enforcement based, some cities are pairing these resources with Fire and EMS response. The push is coming from various sources to include: Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance, Council of State Governments, National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI), International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), Elected leaders and the community at large.
So, what exactly is a ‘co-responder’’ model? Well, the general idea is having a mental health professional (MHP) ride with a sworn law enforcement officer or deputy with the purpose of responding to in-progress calls for service involving persons experiencing a crisis or mental health related issues. Some variations include officers being in full uniform or in plainclothes, responding in marked or unmarked vehicles or providing additional post-incident follow-up. These co-responder teams are often referred to as Crisis Intervention Response Teams (CIRT) or just CRT Units. To be clear, co-responder models are different from the 100% civilian entities that are also being launched in a variety of major cities – such as the C.A.R.E. Team in Seattle, Washington.
Historically, there were basically three disposition options for law enforcement when interacting with persons experiencing a crisis or suffering from mental health issues – the hospital, jail, or walking away. From a law enforcement perspective, the number of contacts involving individuals experiencing mental health related issues has been steadily rising for the better part of the last decade. For those working directly with the affected population, it has long been established that the mental health system in the United States is broken; not enough beds, access to care, funding, services, care support personnel, etc. While it is not the role of law enforcement to ‘fix’ the system, it is imperative to find more options to navigate it – thus taking a holistic approach; and a co-responder model approach is a great start.
What are the benefits of having a dedicated mental health professional responding with police?
First and foremost, having a mental health professional (MHP) embedded into a law enforcement unit can offer insight into both the care and management options for individuals and the opportunity to view situations through their lens. Having an MHP on staff can also provide immediate access to services and information otherwise unavailable to officers. This is not to find a way around HIPAA protected information; rather coordinating a continuity of care and treatment. An MHP has the ability to conduct on-scene assessments to assist law enforcement in evaluation and decision-making related to potential dispositions – such as an Emergent Detention for the purpose of an involuntary mental health assessment. Direct access with an MHP greatly assists in the ‘follow-up’ aspect of any CIRT or CRT Unit. Specifically, when crafting alternatives for those disproportionate utilizers of 911 services in the form of an individually tailored Response Plan. One of the biggest benefits of having a dedicated MHP is the ability to craft a more holistic approach to law enforcement interactions involving persons experiencing crisis and suffering from mental illness, especially as it relates to those high utilizers.
Co-responders as a Patrol resource
A true co-responder model has an MHP riding in the same vehicle with a sworn officer. This provides another resource for Patrol especially during high-profile and dynamic encounters; such as an actively suicidal or barricaded individual. Field objectives to a co-responder model should include: assisting with in-progress calls involving persons in crisis, linking individuals with resource options, reducing an individual’s future interactions with law enforcement and modeling behavior for officers. As it is unlikely there will ever be enough dedicated co-responder units to handle every single crisis related call, a key goal should be to model an appropriate response. Departmental training, supported by first-hand modeling of responses, can raise the knowledge and confidence level of all sworn personnel. Most patrol officers are, understandably, unaware of the myriad of care and support options available to individuals experiencing mental illness; that is where having an MHP on-scene can play such an valuable role.
What are some different approaches to the co-responder model?
There are many variations around the country of a co-responder model as numerous municipalities and counties launch programs. As with many programs, they are developed at a local level based upon funding, community needs and available resources. While there is not enough research to determine which version(s) are the most effective, I would argue that every model can be effective if it is meeting the needs of the market it serves. The overarching goal of any co-responder model is providing law enforcement direct access to mental health professionals and offering a more holistic approach to individuals experiencing mental illness. Some law enforcement agencies have an MHP embedded, others partner with a local service provider and have access to a ‘pool’ of MHP’s available to respond directly with patrol resources. Still others have established relationships where officers can call to screen incidents via phone or have an MHP on-call that can respond independently to a scene for assistance. The success of a co-responder program will depend on the agency resources allocated, local service providers and various support options. Some considerations are how many officers will be dedicated; will they need to be available for all 911 calls or only crisis related incidents; what emergency services are available locally and is there a regional mental health court.
Keys to successful integration of MHP’s to a co-responder model
When onboarding an MHP, it is crucial to provide them access (or even participation) to law enforcement training. We have the obligation as law enforcement to establish the context for what, how and why we do things in a tactical setting. If an MHP is provided with a basic understanding of ‘officer safety’ and ‘rules of engagement’, it will assist them in field response and can provide additional legitimacy to officers. This type of training exposure will also assist the MHP’s when having conversations with other service providers related to police work. It is still critical for a co-responder model supporting patrol to implement principles of Tactical De-escalation – addressing any immediate threats and obtaining scene control prior to starting dialogue.
There is no ‘right or wrong’ way to implement a c0-responder model; they will, and should, all look a little different. The implementation of a co-responder model should consist of reviewing current departmental policies and procedures, provide operational guidelines, include consultation with departmental legal advisors over access to CJIS information, and establishing of a contract for services with an agency rather than a specific individual.
Conclusion
Let’s wrap up with a few reminders. The advent of a co-responder model allows law enforcement direct access to a ‘translator’ for mental health related issues. Taking a holistic approach toward individuals experiencing crisis or mental health related issues can assist with immediate de-escalation options, potentially decrease the instances of reasonable, necessary, and proportional force and lower the number of future interactions. These benefits can lead to a decrease in operating costs associated with patrol response, potential reduction in use of force and injuries to both officers and individuals, and a positive increase in public perception.
