Connecting Local Police with Mental Health Clinicians to Provide Virtual Support to Community Residents Experiencing a Mental Health Concern or Crisis

Care Compass Network (CCN) and the Chenango County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) are pleased to announce the launch of the Mobile Access Program (MAP) which connects community residents who may be showing signs of a mental health challenge to a licensed clinician through an iPad using Zoom for Healthcare. As part of its commitment to improving the health and well-being of Chenango County residents, the Chenango County Sheriff’s Office views the incorporation of this field-based technology as a critical step in providing interventions that are more person-centered, relevant, and timely. With the adoption of MAP, police officers in Chenango County now have the ability to consult with a mental health clinician while in the field when appropriate, making professional clinical support available on-demand for not only for the person experiencing the mental health concern (and their families or support systems), but for the officer(s) as well. By connecting through an iPad, the officer also gains the ability to keep the person in need in a familiar and comforting environment (when safe to do so), helping to decrease unnecessary hospital transports which can often escalate a situation and increase feelings of anxiety and stress for the person they are trying to help.

“Rural counties like Chenango County have struggled for years to provide access to those citizens who may be struggling with Mental Health needs, particularly when those citizens are in crisis,” shares Sheriff Ernest Cutting, Chenango County Sherriff’s Office. “Often times Law Enforcement has been on the front line in trying to aid those in crisis. This can, at times, create challenges that can make these situations worse. By working with Care Compass Network and leveraging technology, we are happy to bring a new, proactive approach to these challenges. MAP will give Law Enforcement a new tool in their ‘toolbox’ to aid those in crisis. Using iPads, we will have the ability to access a clinician in the field, resulting in more efficient use of time for both the clinician and the law enforcement officer, while providing quality, compassionate care for the person in need.”

“Equipping law enforcement professionals with the ability to respond to mental health related challenges and/or crises with on-demand clinical support has been a long-standing need in our rural communities. Law enforcement officers (LEOs) are often the only resource available to provide field response to a mental health crisis, and they have traditionally had to rely on agency training in order to provide assistance where possible, often resulting in transports of an hour or more to receive clinical assessment. With the implementation of MAP, a solution identified through the collaborative strategic planning process of the Chenango and Delaware Behavioral Health Network, officers have now been trained to engage a licensed clinician when appropriate to conduct an evidence-based screening and evaluation via the iPad. This program combines the clinical expertise of the licensed mental health provider with the public safety expertise of the LEO, and allows them to collaborate on the best course of action for the person in need,” states Lauren Greco, Project Manager, Care Compass Network. “We are extremely thankful to Dr. Don Kamin and his team, as well as the funding that has been provided through the Office of Mental Health and the New York State Senate to make this program possible.”

“Chenango County Behavioral Health Services believes that the MAP program will both increase access to crisis services for individuals experiencing a behavioral health challenge as well as reduce unnecessary utilization of the emergency room. We know that when someone is in crisis an assessment by a qualified health professional needs to happen rapidly to ensure that individual is safe and is also an opportunity to link them with community supports that will help them work towards recovery,” shares Elizabeth Warneck, Director of Community Services, Chenango County Behavioral Health Services.

“Our Mobile Crisis Assessment Team (MCAT) consistently seeks opportunities to engage persons experiencing crises in a culturally sensitive, trauma-informed, and recovery-oriented manner. We strive to provide compassionate care in the least restrictive environment while engaging persons in a comprehensive plan to maintain positive mental health practices. With the use of technology, we strive to reduce barriers to treatment in rural areas where transportation and/or a lack of clinical interventions exist as a means of increasing access to needed clinical supports, which increases the likelihood of positive outcomes. MCAT is pleased to partner with Norwich Police Department and Chenango County Sheriff’s Office for the mobile access/MAP endeavor in which barriers to engagement are minimized and opportunities for mental health support are maximized,” shares Sandra L. Soroka, Executive Director, The Neighborhood Center.

Don Kamin, Ph.D. is the Director of the Institute and noted that “MAP is a great example of harnessing technology for positive system transformation. We know that law enforcement officers are not the optimal response to individuals experiencing mental health-related crises and by providing them with iPads they are able to quickly contact a mental health clinician to conduct remote, face-to-face evaluations to better help county residents in emotional distress. Data from our program, operational in 20 counties across the state, show that close to 80% of the time that this level of service is sufficient to handle the crisis – and thereby avoid unnecessary transport to a hospital or other services. In addition, clinicians refer individuals to the appropriate level of care for follow-up.”

As part of MAP implementation, police officers are trained by experienced instructors, including MAP Program Champion Dr. Don Kamin from the Institute for Police, Mental Health and Community Collaboration. Training for both CCSO and NPD was conducted in early September, and from there selected police officers will be able to immediately begin utilizing the program when responding to mental health calls for service. Initially founded as a pilot program in 2019 through a combination of funding provided through NYS Office of Mental Health (OMH) and the NYS Senate – and is coordinated by the Institute for Police, Mental Health and Community Collaboration.

Background on Chenango and Delaware County Behavioral Health Network

In early 2020, the Chenango and Delaware County Behavioral Health Network (CDCBHN) was formed to apply for a grant from HRSA Rural Health Network Development Planning Program (RHNDPP). Upon being awarded in mid-2021, the CDCBHN partners engaged in regular bi-weekly collaborative meetings to develop a 3-year strategic plan to address critical gaps in behavioral health care coordination and crisis response services throughout the rural counties of Chenango and Delaware, New York. Today, the CDCBHN is comprised of representatives from ten cross-sector organizations and include Care Compass Network, Chenango County Sherriff’s Office, Chenango County Behavioral Health Services, Catholic Charities of Chenango County, Chenango Health Network, Chenango Memorial Hospital (UHS), Norwich Police Department, Delaware County Behavioral Health Services, Delaware Opportunities, Liberty Resources, and The Neighborhood Center. Currently, the CDCBHN’s Strategic Planning workgroups are continuing the implementation and development of the Network’s Strategic Plan, operationalizing programs that focus on improving access to, and availability of, behavioral health crisis response and care coordination services within the counties. One of these programs is the Mobile Access Program through the Chenango County Sherriff’s Office and the Norwich Police Department.