SARASOTA – First Step is teaming up with law enforcement to launch a crisis intervention program.
“Where can we intervene at the earliest possible point and in a setting where that person feels safe,” said President and CEO of First Step Sarasota, Gwen MacKenzie.
First Step of Sarasota is collaborating with local law enforcement agencies to help tackle mental health before the crisis.
The behavioral health response team is in its first six weeks of a pilot program, where licensed clinicians and psychiatrists will provide therapeutic interventions alongside officers and deputies.
“Work together to sort of match up what we call high need patients, those are people who do end up in a crisis center several times a year in a crisis intervention unit who do call 911 multiple times in a month because they are challenged with substance use or in crisis or both as we often see,” said MacKenzie.
Mackenzie says the goal is to be able to get people the help they need before 911 is dialed.
“Call them and see if we can meet them at their home, some are homeless, but at their home, in their safe environment, with their family and have a discussion about how can we help them before it gets to that crisis point.”
Law enforcement would be present to ensure a safe environment
“It’s not to avoid a law enforcement visit, it’s really to make it more effective and to eliminate it in the future if we can head off something that’s about to happen,” said MacKenzie.
“One of the biggest problems that we have here is that we solve things with law enforcement, and it’s not their fault, we drag them in,” said Licensed Psychologist, Dr. Richard Shulman.
Dr. Shulman says the program could be a game changer for the Suncoast
“Prevention is always better than intervention after the fact.
For more information on First Step, you can visit their website.
