Dearborn providing social work co-responder for mental health crisis calls
DEARBORN, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) - The Dearborn Police Department now provides a full-time behavior health specialist to respond to mental and behavioral health crises alongside officers.
This new addition to the department is made possible through a grant from the Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS).
Stacy Wetters, a clinical social worker and behavioral health specialist, has started to work with the Dearborn Police Department to educate officers on how to respond to these types of situations.
According to the Dearborn Police Department, co-responders can help de-escalate mental health crises.
"In mental health or substance use emergencies, I can help de-escalate and offer clinical expertise and interventions that an officer may not be trained in," Wetters said. "I am also trained as a clinical therapist, so I can talk with people who sometimes are more open to interacting with someone not in uniform."
Data shows that police have seen an increase in these types of calls in the past few years.
"In recent years, with the backdrop of a global pandemic, the Dearborn Police Department has seen an escalation in mental health calls–a 62% increase from 2020 to 2022–and welfare check calls, which increased from 910 in 2020, to 1139 in 2021, and 1135 in 2022," according to the Dearborn Police Department.
In addition to the growing number of mental health calls, data shows that behavioral health responders can help support officer safety, less use of force, fewer injuries to the community, fewer arrests and more referrals to services for those in need.
"With an overwhelming increase in mental health calls, there is a great need for this program in our city," said Dearborn Police Chief Issa Shahin. "Our co-responder will be able to provide not only an immediate response to such calls, but also the wraparound services and follow-up care needed by those experiencing mental health or substance use issues."
