Title
Mental Health Team / Co-Responder Program (NB)
Explanation
GPD would like to partner with Meridian Behavioral Healthcare in a Mental Health Collaboration Team, in which police officers will partner with a masters level mental health counselor. The team will use established evidence based practices utilized in other jurisdictions to deploy the team to serve community members suffering from mental health issues.
This one year pilot program will aim to reduce incarcerations and emergency hospitalizations of Gainesville citizens with mental health issues.
The Gainesville Police Department and Meridian Behavioral Health Care have a well-established working relationship with both formalized and informal processes in place to better serve our community with mental health care concerns.
Fiscal Note
$100,000 is budgeted in FY 18 as a grant match with Meridian for a state grant that is no longer offered.
Recommendation
The City Commission authorize use of grant match funds budgeted for FY 18 for the Mental Health Team/Co-Responder Program.