A collaboration between the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office and Contra Costa Behavioral Health Services has established a mental health evaluation team that will provide a variety of follow-up services to people who have had a recent psychiatric emergency.
The team will meet with these people to perform health and welfare evaluations and do short-term case management.
Deputy Sheriff Jennifer Yen will lead the new team, which will collaborate with licensed mental health clinicians and other county departments, outside agencies within the county, non-profit organizations and other service providers involved in mental health services.
In a news release from his office, Sheriff David Livingston called the program a proactive step to link people in need with services, treatment and resources.
“Our goal is to increase safety by reducing the number of repeated police calls regarding those who may be undergoing a psychiatric crisis and cut down on potentially violent encounters with law enforcement and the community,” Livingston said.
Good Luck With illegal drugs and mental conditions I don’t think they can find enough help to cover the territory.
seems like most of the work will be with the homeless unless they don’t take those calls, if so ya like the other person said…
“we are going to need a bigger boat”
They need to first evaluate and treat the mental health of CA politicians…
They are all a bunch of filthy Kerpers!
Start with evaluating the local politicians.
This seems like a wonderful service and a step in the right direction to police reform. A lot of domestic abuse cases and cases where police are called multiple times can do with a counselor being on site helping de-escalate the situation. Police are meant to enforce laws, not deal with psychiatry emergencies, as they are not trained professionals. Good luck Deputy Sheriff Jennifer Yen!
The most dangerous calls for police are domestic abuse cases. How would you care to accompany a social worker on a domestic abuse call? Have you ever dealt with a hopped up crazy person? Thought not.
Ricardoh
A uniform, badge & gun can actually aggravate situations. Having “just another person” work on talking people down is far more effective. Firefighter/paramedics have better results on 51/50 calls as the lack of a weapon and reputation as the “nice people” makes them seem less of a threat. I have a life long friend thats a retired firefighter. While active he talked down lots of suicide attempts. He’s 6’4″ and around 210 lbs but was not viewed as intimidating because firefighters are viewed in a different light. He said there were times he would get PO’d at LE for trying to interfere with what he or another firefighter/paramedic was trying to do. There are times when it is best for LE to be the back up and not primary
A social worker is a person who works with people in our society. They are trained to deescalate tense situations, cops are not. I have not dealt with a “hopped up crazy person” as you ASSumed but what bad is a social worker going with a police officer to call going to do? None. Having a trained professional who can deal with someone in psychiatric distress sounds like an amazing idea!
Seems like you might be having a psychiatric issue of your own.
I agree with you Annie! A good step in the right direction. I’m so glad to see that immediate services will be provided to help all those involved!
I sure hope they pay those mental health teams well. This is going to be really dangerous work. Historically domestic disturbance calls are the most dangerous. Probably best to hire people without any dependents.
Mental health? How about support for financial health. Pretty much everyone has taken a setback to their bank account through this year.
So, basically county police have to keep tabs on county health to get the county health to do their jobs?
Makes sense.