County planning embedded clinicians for emergency responses
By Zachary Clark Daily Journal staff
Three San Mateo County police departments this year are expected to enter into a pilot program aimed at enhancing their response to mental health crises.
The program will embed a full-time licensed mental health clinician within the San Mateo, South San Francisco and Redwood City police departments — there will likely be a total of four clinicians between the three cities — to respond along with police officers to mental health emergencies.
Conceived by San Mateo County Supervisor Don Horsley and being developed in partnership with the San Mateo County Manager’s Office, the program is expected to be rolled out by the end of the year following approval by the Board of Supervisors.
If the program is a success, it may expand to additional police departments in the county, Horsley said.
“This is really a change for responding to someone in mental health distress. I think this is really the future,” Horsley said of the pilot program. “The goal is efficient, effective and safe interaction with someone in a mental health crisis and after having a better connection between law enforcement and the follow-up resources that are available.”
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