Co-Responder Program

About the Program

Category: Criminal Justice and Public Safety (Best in Category)

Year: 2016

The co-responder program is a partnership between the Johnson County Mental Health Center, Olathe Police Department and Overland Park Police Department. The program partners a mental health professional with a police officer so they can respond to calls involving people who might be experiencing a mental health crisis. The co-responder program’s primary goal is to decrease the likelihood of a person being arrested solely due to behaviors related to mental illness. The program accomplishes this through early identification and intervention for persons with mental illness who find themselves in contact with law enforcement. Embedding a mental health professional in the police department has reduced repeat calls for service, lessened the length of time officers spend on scene, and increased law enforcement’s knowledge of mental health practices.