As communities across the county look at ways to handle mental health crisis without relying on law enforcement.
Butte County already has one program in place called Mobile Crisis Team with the Chico PD Target team.
Role.# as communities across the county look at ways to handle mental health crisis*withou* relying on law enforcement... we look at one program butte county already has in place.
Action news now reporter mackenzie drigo is live in chico, mackenzie how does this mobile team work?
It's a team effort.
The behavioral health team responds when law enforcement calls on them.
Scott ken-nelly is the behavioral health director for butte county.
He says if police approve - they are allowed to be on scene alone.
The council and the peer specialists help law enforcement with de escalation on scene.
Ken-nelly says each team is learning both the law enforcement and mental health side to help de- escalate scenes.
"we were finding that some of those 5150 prior to this team being put in place were evaluated and ascended as not necessarily been appropriate or could have been alternatives to hospitalizing someone and through this team being put in place that number of 5150 that law enforcement has written has dropped about 33 percent between the last fiscal year and this fiscal year," # after the both teams respond to the call- its critical the mobile crisis team makes sure they connect them with services or to follow up.
Ken-nelly says their team is well trained, with a peer support specialist who either been in the mental health system themselves or dealt with mental health issues.
Ken-nelly says they have a public comment survey available- you can find that and more statistics at our website at action news now dot com.
Reporting live in butte county mackenzie drigo action news now coverage you can count on.
Action news now did reach out to our local law enforcement and target teams at chico p-d and b-c- s-o... - they have not gotten back to us yet on how they are handling these situations.
Local law enforcement agencies here at home are reacting to the nationwide call for change.
As communities across the county look at ways to handle mental health crisis without relying on law enforcement. Butte County..