MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Services Mobile Crisis Team is celebrating 30 years of service.
What You Need To Know
The Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Services Mobile Crisis Team is celebrating 30 years of service
The team dispatches clinicians, mental health professionals and social services professionals, directly to those who need help
Members said the team has also created safer interactions between law enforcement and those in crisis
Behavioral Health Administrator Mike Lappen said the Mobile Crisis Team is setting an example for other cities
Enjoli Varnado is a psychiatric clinician with the mobile response team. She said it is an honor to be part of the team.
“It’s just empowered me to want to continue to do what I do each day,” said Varnado.
Varnado has been with the county’s Mobile Crisis Team for a decade. She said the team has made a significant impact.
“We’ve helped to divert individuals from being criminalized due to their mental health. We’ve helped to decrease numbers of involuntary mental health holds. We’ve helped to connect families,” she said.
The team dispatches clinicians, including Varnado and other mental health and social services professionals, directly to those who need help.
Varnado said the team has also created safer interactions between law enforcement and those in crisis.
“We have four different teams: Milwaukee Police Department, Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office, West Allis Police Department and Wauwatosa. We evaluate, and we get people to the best, least restrictive option,“ Varnado said.
On Thursday, team leaders celebrated 30 years of being trailblazers for mobile response services
Behavioral Health Administrator Mike Lappen said the Mobile Crisis Team is setting an example for other cities.
“I mean, this really is something that was started here, and it has spread all over the place in different incarnations and different ideas. Other counties sort of do it, but they don’t do it. … So, I’ve always been so proud to be part of it,” said Lappen.
Varnado said she hopes that over the next 30 years, the county expands this service even further.
“We’re looking at expanding some additional teams with more police departments. You know, we’re just looking at different ways in which we can continue to be progressive, to service the community as best we can,” she said.