The teamwork of co-responders and officers has shown great success and their partnership is growing. Additional funding received by the program will ensure more people in crisis will get the help and resources they need.
The co-responder program has responded to about 10,000 calls over six years. The program has increased its numbers of clinicians over time, but more assistance is still needed. With the additional funding, Richardson says the program will be able to fill six slots for the overnight shift, helping achieve the 24/7 model.
“They have been able to successfully deescalate situations that have been very beneficial for the person in crisis and very beneficial for the police officer,” said Pazen. “Our co-responders are critical partners as we address the challenges that we face in our community.”