Response to Mental Health Emergencies

Mental health emergencies have increased locally and nationally over the last several years. According to the National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI), the COVID-19 pandemic triggered a 25% increase in anxiety and depression in Americans. One in five Americans experienced mental illness in 2020. Suicide is now the second leading cause of death in children 10 to 14.

In response to this crisis and as part the County’s Police Reform and Reimaging Plan, Westchester County launched Project Alliance in 2021, a five-pronged approach developed to address the needs of Westchester County residents with behavioral health challenges. The five prongs of the program are: 911 Dispatch Diversion Training; Enhanced Training for EMTs responding to Behavioral Health Issues; Enhancement of Countywide Behavioral Health Crisis Response Line; Crisis Intervention Team Trainings; and Mobile Crisis Response Teams (MCRT).

Now when you call 911, there is a fourth option. Along with police, fire and emergency medical services (EMS), mental health calls can be diverted to the Crisis Network Team, staffed by St. Vincent’s Hospital crisis personnel. Calls can either be transferred or conferenced (so the dispatcher can stay on the call).  911 dispatchers have received additional training to identify and transfer calls from individuals experiencing a behavioral health crisis, helping to ensure they receive immediate and appropriate assistance. Croton’s dispatcher and all officers have participated in the training to learn how to fully assess the situation and triage calls to the appropriate resource. 

Though many of the crisis calls diverted to the Crisis Network Team can be successfully resolved on the phone without having to mobilize resources to the scene, each situation is unique, and Croton Police and EMS may also respond if they or the Crisis Team decide it may be necessary. Depending on the level of the emergency, the dispatcher, Crisis Network Team or first responders can also deploy the Mobile Crisis Response Teams (MCRT). MCRTs consist of staff who have substantial training and experience in addressing mental health conditions and substance use disorders. The primary role of MCRTs is to support law enforcement in addressing mental health crisis by rapid engagement, assessment of needs, and providing short-term support and linkage to necessary services. The County has established eight teams, each serving a defined area, providing 24/7 crisis response. The MCRT serving Croton is based in Peekskill and supports Peekskill, Cortlandt, Croton and Yorktown

All Croton police officers receive training on how to handle mental health emergencies. In addition to their regular training, through Project Alliance, Westchester County also provides enhanced training for EMTs on responding to behavioral health issues and Crisis Intervention Team Training for law enforcement agencies. This Police-based crisis intervention training prepares officers and other first responders to effectively manage crises involving people with mental illness. The training also improves their understanding and accessibility of the public mental health system, while promoting officer safety and the safety of the individual in crisis. Several Croton police officers have already participated in this extensive week-long training, and the Department plans to continue to send officers to the trainings as they are offered in the future.

This article was written by members of the Police Advisory Committee as part of the Community Information Project.