Tuesday, January 27, 2015

An Initiative To Improve Our Response

I've written about the increase in mental illness related police calls and our efforts to collaborate with our community partners like homeless outreach, social services, public defenders, prosecutors and courts to improve our response.  Through partnering with others, we created a successful community intervention group (CIG) to deal with habitual offenders who often suffer from chemical dependency and mental illness.  These collaborative efforts are paying off with results, but there is still room for improvement.  Police officers are on the front line of helping those with mental illness in our community and we're often involved with complex issues that officers have little or no control over due to lack of available resources and the nature of our system.

Last year, I began talking with others about embedding a social worker in the police department to work closely with our staff and focus on people suffering from mental illness, severe chemical dependency and homelessness that our officers are dealing with daily.  The embedded social worker would  use their knowledge of the social service network, civil court system and appropriate treatment options to improve our response.

We are still in the design phase of this initiative and are searching for a funding stream.  It is my hope to have this effort up and running in the second half of the year. 

2 comments:

  1. G it may be a help but honestly there are corrupt social workers; including the lead mental health worker Deborah Josephson for St. Louis County Social Services, a corrupt and unjust lady aided by Clay Odin shed not support the mentally ill but be glad to mess with minds and put people down- I'd complain about her and vengefully shed happily commit me- I may be crazy but I know someone bad when I see them; so choose carefully and out of the county and the crisis response team that would falsify a record of violence about me! What about more funding for training of officer; as I'd suggest to training and development lately- education even with the mental health place Accend helping to educate your men and women? I warn you I'm coming to honor officers if I can tomorrow afternoon! Hope the small part of the team ( including my critic big guy Tusken enjoyed the cookies lately- fun to bake appreciation for all 155 of you too- wonder if my partner delivered the molasses to homicide or the drug task force ( I told her to flip a coin to decide who is first!) happy ud address mental health issues- I call on- emergency a lot in actuality ( despite 40 false cad calls last year; didn't make 60 honest sir!)but lately have had a neighbor even say " call for medical " when I guy was huffing dust at the local Endion bus stop! Proud of my team and hoping some I'd commend get honored tomorrow too! Who is on the docket for the ceremony? Do you know G? L

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  2. I have a night team of Graves and Hopps training in younger officers to listen to citizens and their proactive work over the past two weeks have addressed drug issues that one officer thought I was making up to befriend cops- way poor treatment but because of non-existent mental health education for officers; making me the problem when I am not! I know how good this night team is being served by one of them for over a decade now and having his protective partner offer to save my life when I was allergic too! Thanks team! I put the whole night team in for a commendation tonight and I hope you will train in the officer who doesn't believe me- I was said to be paranoid by her; that state of mind for me hasn't existed for about seven years and as I'd tell training and development, the education for officers is sorely needed- did call the patrol supervisor line tonight but just to say good job team! Proud of these guys who work so hard for citizens! Thanks too to Marc and Joel for both being there when I get allergic; know I carry meds and an epi- pen too in my main bag if I need it; allergic to scallops and something unknown! You are really my lifesavers! Thanks! Linda

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