Cleveland Co-Responder Team

The Mental Health Co-Responder Program is a collaboration between MTHSS, Frontline, City of Cleveland, Cleveland Division of Police, CWRU, and The ADAMHS Board of CC when responding to 911 Mental Health Crisis Calls.

 

This citywide program has teams of one (1) law enforcement officer and one (1) behavioral health crisis clinician working together as a Co-Responder Team (CRT) that responds to mental health crisis calls generated through Dispatch. Co Responder teams also provide follow up contacts with high utilizers of emergency resources. Police Officers receive specialized training in response to behavioral health issues. As part of the 911 response to an event, an assessment by the Behavioral Health Crisis Clinician is completed on site and clients are referred to mental health agencies and/or transported to an emergency mental health facility, as necessary. Anyone in need of alcohol or other drug services, including opioids, are quickly linked to the appropriate treatment facility. The purpose of the Co-Responder program is for professionals to work together to keep individuals in crisis out of jail and to ensure that individuals receive the care they need. Expected outcomes include a decrease of 10% in the number of repeat calls from high utilizers of this response emergency service and a decrease by 10% in the number of transports to hospital psychiatric Emergency Departments.