The City of Lincoln is collaborating with CenterPointe to improve responses for individuals experiencing mental health crises through a joint initiative involving mental health professionals and police.
This partnership comes in response to CenterPointe’s report of 6,400 crisis intervention contacts this year, underscoring the urgent need for enhanced services.
Under the Co-Responder Program, mental health professionals will offer their expertise to those in crisis while Lincoln Police Department (LPD) officers ensure safety and security. This collaboration aims to allow officers to return to service more quickly, enabling mental health professionals to continue assisting individuals in need.
“This program exemplifies how the City of Lincoln and our community partners are committed to providing residents with timely care. Through innovations like the Co-Responder Program, we are making strides toward our goal of establishing Lincoln as the safest and healthiest capital city in America,” said Mayor Gaylor Baird.
Three mental health professionals are set to be hired for the Co-Responder Program, with plans for them to be fully trained and operational citywide by early next year.
“Our primary goal is to meet individuals where they are and provide the necessary support, whether through law enforcement, mental health care, or ensuring access to basic needs,” stated Chief Michon Morrow of the Lincoln Police Department.
The initial three years of the program are supported by a $550,000 grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance and an additional $221,278 from Lincoln’s general fund. Approximately 85% of the funding will be allocated to the salaries of co-responders, with the remainder designated for training, community feedback collection at the Malone Center, and research by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Department of Psychology to assess the program’s effectiveness.
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