JACKSONVILLE, Fla — It’s what the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office is calling a “paradigm shift,” a way to keep those struggling with mental health and addiction out of the criminal justice system.
JSO is now partnering with Lutheran Services of Florida on a co-responder program, only one of three of its kind in Florida.
The mental health co-responder program pairs together a full-time police officer and a mental health clinician who patrols neighborhoods and goes out to certain crisis intervention calls such as those involving mental illness, substance use disorders or emotionally-charged situations.
“They are really a dynamic duo," CEO of LSF Health Systems Dr. Christine Cauffield said. She says the first program, launched with the Gainesville Police Department, has shown it can help get people the care they need faster.
“It's smart justice and people have been able to avoid arrest or being Baker Acted," she explained. "In fact, our stats are showing that 92% of the individuals that interact with this co-responder program are diverted from jails, from emergency rooms, from crisis stabilization units.“
Cauffield said it also saves taxpayer money with fewer people struggling with mental health issues going to jail or the ER.
“It saves lives in a lot of ways," JSO Director Mike Bruno said. He added the co-responder program has been so successful already that JSO has applied for a Department of Justice grant to expand it to two or three more patrol teams.
“If one officer can have the impact that we're seeing now, three officers in the community, it's going to impact immensely," he explained. "It's going to impact every homeless shelter or every mental health facility.”
Cauffield said she would also like to see this program expand across the 23 Northeast Counties that Lutheran Services of Florida has a presence.