ST. CLOUD (WJON News) — A successful program in the St.Cloud Police Department will continue for at least three more years thanks to a new funding mechanism.
The Co-Responder program has been a partnership with the Central Minnesota Mental Health Center for the past six years. It has been funded by Stearns County American Rescue Plan Act funds.
Starting on Sunday, the St. Cloud Police Department will have two of its own formally trained mental health co-responders on staff. The new positions are being funded for the next three years with $667,000 from a multi-state settlement agreement with pharmaceutical distributors and opioid manufacturers.
What we’ve seen in policing across the country, the state, and here locally is that mental health calls are just a significant part of our day-to-day call load that we have to be as effective as we can.
St. Cloud Police Chief Jeff Oxton says the program will only have two mental health professionals, so they can’t staff it around the clock, but they will work on follow-up calls.
Now our officers who are working late at night, when there’s not a co-responder on, if they are having trouble with a person who repeatedly calls with mental health or substance issues, they’ll get that name to them.
The mental health workers will work to stabilize the situation so police officers are not responding to repeat calls to the same person.
Since 2020, the co-responder program has been averaging about 200 responses to behavioral health emergencies and 600 follow-up contacts.
Oxton says when his department started the program, they had to go out to Colorado to learn more, but now quite a few police departments across the state have a similar model.
Central Minnesota Mental Health Center is continuing its partnership with Stearns County, with three co-responders serving the Sheriff’s Office.
Celebrating Harrison Smith’s Career with the Vikings.
Harrison Smith spent 14 years in the NFL, all with the Vikings. Take a look at some of his top moments with the team.
Gallery Credit: Paul Habstritt