Cuyahoga County expands its innovative 'First CALL' program to Parma and Parma Heights, combining police and mental health professionals to respond to mental health crises. The program aims to reduce strain on traditional resources and build trust between the community and law enforcement.
Shaker Heights' police chief, Wayne Hudson, emphasizes the importance of a caring response model for individuals experiencing mental health challenges. He states that these individuals are dealing with a health issue, not a criminal justice issue, and that a change in approach is necessary. This sentiment echoed during the expansion announcement of Cuyahoga County 's First CALL program to Parma and Parma Heights.
Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne, along with four mayors, three police and fire chiefs, and one county councilman, joined the event at Parma Fire Station #2 to usher in this significant development in Northeast Ohio's approach to mental health crisis response. \First CALL, a co-response model, involves incorporating social workers and clinicians alongside police officers to respond to 911 calls involving mental health crises. This initiative, piloted successfully in Shaker Heights in 2022, is now being adopted by six neighboring suburbs. The program aims to reduce the strain on jails, emergency rooms, and police officers, while building trust between law enforcement and the community. \The expansion of First CALL comes with an investment of millions of dollars in funding to hire mental health professionals to work alongside first responders. Parma and Parma Heights police and fire departments will soon have social workers and clinicians responding to 911 calls, along with officers. This follows the success of similar programs in other cities, like Eugene, Oregon's Crisis Assistance Helping Out On The Streets (CAHOOTS) program, which has demonstrated its ability to save cities millions of dollars in officer wages and divert a significant number of 911 calls. Shaker Heights, during its pilot phase, diverted 560 calls to social workers and clinicians, highlighting the potential for cost savings and improved outcomes
Mental Health First CALL Crisis Response Co-Response Police Fire Departments Parma Parma Heights Cuyahoga County
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