The Morgan Hill Police Department has begun a pilot program with the Santa Clara County Mobile Crisis Response Team to reach out and connect residents suffering from mental health issues to services before they suffer a crisis that could result in further harm to the individual or others.
Every Thursday, Morgan Hill Police Cpl. Mindy Zen teams up with a county Behavioral Health Services clinician to follow up with people in the community who have previously generated calls for service due to mental health illness, says a press release from MHPD. The program began Feb. 25.
“During the first two Thursdays of the program, both Corporal Zen and the clinician found success because people were more open to accepting services when not in a crisis,” says the press release. “They were able to develop cross-system collaboration, improving responses and outcomes for individuals with mental illness.”
MHPD will continue the one-day-a-week program until county behavioral health completes the hiring process for two more licensed mental health clinicians for its Psychiatric Emergency Response Team. The two new positions are funded by a grant awarded to the county, which will be assigned to Morgan Hill.
“The ultimate goal of partnering with mental health clinicians is to de-escalate conflicts between patients and law enforcement, provide safe and timely options and reduce recidivism among high-risk individuals with mental illness and substance abuse challenges,” says the MHPD press release.
Zen has completed Crisis Intervention Training and will attend advanced “cross-system training” with county clinicians. She will also complete an additional de-escalation course.
The county’s MCRT will continue to assist with follow-up referrals from county behavioral health and MHPD.
The MCRT is available 8am to 8pm Monday through Friday throughout Santa Clara County to help residents suffering from mental health issues. Services are available by calling the MCRT hotline at 1-800-704-0900.
For more information about the MCRT, view this video: https://youtu.be/txQeOw-Bonw.
