Care response
in northeast Ohio
What tools do we already have that can help us respond to crisis in our neighborhoods and community?
COP RESPONSE
CIT Officers @ CPD
The Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) at the Cleveland Division of Police is a team of officers who have undergone a voluntary 40-hour training focused on crisis response, mental health, and substance use. Some suburban police departments also have CIT officers.
CO-RESPONSE
CPD & Behavioral Health Provider Partners
CPD began providing co-response services in some police districts in 2021. A social worker may follow up connections to social service providers. These programs, like many in behavioral health across the country, need additional staff to operate at full capacity.
CARE RESPONSE
Care response TBD!
Northeast Ohio does not yet have a care response program. We are eager to see our many stakeholders come together to create a new program design that accounts for the community's needs!
How do we build a new care response program?
01.
We will need to decide what kind of calls qualify for a non-police crisis response team.
Many areas qualify the types of calls or incidents that a care team can respond to. Generally, a call needs to be non-violent and interrelated with a mental or behavioral health issue.
What kinds of calls do you think should be answered by first responders who are not members of the police force?
02.
We will need to decide what kind of expertise will be needed by non-police first responders.
Some cities use teams with specialists from more than one discipline. Some cities rely on healthcare workers to provide a healthcare response.
If you were experiencing a mental or behavioral health crisis, who would you want to come help?
03.
We will need to decide what services a care response team should be able to provide.
The most effective care response programs offer peer support and continued/wraparound services that keep community members connected to social services and healthcare providers.
What kinds of resources can help families prevent similar crisis moments from occurring again and again?
We have the opportunity NOW to develop a complete continuum of crisis services that can respond to every unique crisis in the community.
Non-police crisis response can solve many problems at once:
-
Local police departments no longer need to have the responsibility of acting as social workers in many of the situations patrol officers face.
-
Community members facing a crisis in health can be immediately connected to healthcare services.
-
A peer response program and wraparound care services means that community members are less likely to become "frequent fliers" of Emergency Rooms and other crisis programs.
-
Improved crisis response programs help us respond better to those who are most in need.
What other tools exist in our crisis response toolbox in northeast Ohio?
Mobile Crisis Unit
The Mobile Crisis Unit is operated by FrontLine and provides another resource for families and individuals in crisis. Learn more in their online brochure.
FrontLine
FrontLine offers connections to a variety of crises services. Find out more on their website, text 741741, or call 216-623-6888
NAMI
NAMI Greater Cleveland can porivde connections to a wide variety of mental and behavioral health resources. Find out more online or call 216-875-7776