A Co-Responder Approach to Responding to Heavy Utilizers of Police Services

• In Event: Policing Responses to Mental Health Crises

Abstract

Responding to emotionally disturbed persons (EDPs)—people experiencing crises related to mental illness and substance abuse—comprises approximately 10-20% of police calls for service (White et al., 2006). In Boston, the traditional police response to EDPs often results in one of three outcomes: 1) referring the person to EMS for transport to an emergency department, which is costly; 2) requiring the EDP to move along, with no attempt to address the person’s underlying behavioral health issues; or 3) arrest of the EDP, involving the individual in the criminal justice system. In order to better serve the community and reduce the use of resources on emergency services, the Boston Police Department (BPD) has implemented a co-responder program in which a mental health clinician rides with a patrol officer to respond to calls for service involving EDPs. While co-responder programs are increasing in number throughout the country, little is known about their effectiveness. This paper seeks to 1) describe the essential elements of the BPD’s co-responder program; 2) assess the financial costs and savings associated with the program; and 3) discuss the challenges and policy considerations of co-responder programs.

Authors

• Jenna Savage, Boston Police Department

• Melissa Morabito, University of Massachusetts Lowell