A pilot program that sends mental health professionals to respond to mental health and substance-related crises with law enforcement is launching in Worcester, Mass., according to a July 5 report from MassLive.
The Mental Health Community Mobile Crisis Response Pilot Program is city-funded by $1 million and developed by Community Healthlink, a Worcester-based behavioral health center that provides services to more than 22,000 people in Central Massachusetts.
The program aims to de-escalate emergencies and support individuals experiencing crisis situations, providing them with local mental health and substance use resources. CHL teams will be on-call for instances when a 911 dispatcher decides an emergency situation would benefit from a mental health professional responding alone or alongside a first-responder.
In situations when only a CHL professional or police officer is called on-scene, all respondents will have a cell phone and panic button to request assistance if needed, according to the release.