NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Over the past few months, law enforcement officers have been called to respond to multiple people suffering mental health crises.
One of the most recent incidents happened this week on the Korean Veterans Boulevard Bridge. When calls related to mental health crises go out, police and paramedics aren't the only ones to respond.
"Everyone goes above and beyond to try and get a safe outcome for someone in a crisis," explained Michael Randolph, director of co-response services at the Mental Health Cooperative.
The goals of the program include:
- Improve access to care for individuals experiencing a behavioral health crisis.
- Divert consumers from the criminal justice system and into the healthcare system.
- Improve the communication and coordination across all systems of care.
- Increase the safety of all involved in crisis interactions.
Mental health crises have become a crippling reality for thousands of Tennesseans. The Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) rolled out the Partners with Care program. Since the program's inception in June 2021, Partners in Care units have responded to more than 27,500 calls for service. More than 6,000 of the calls to which Partners in Care has responded have been mental health crisis calls.
"They could be hearing voices or experiencing delusions where they really need help right then at that moment," Randolph said.
If you are contemplating self harm, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255, 24 hours a day.
On Tuesday, the Nashville Fire Department was called to the Korean Veterans Bridge "for a potential jumper" that evolved into a call rescuing someone afraid to come down off the high bridge. Several Metro Nashville crews, including the MNPD and the Mental Health Cooperative, worked together to get the person down safely.
Nashville's Responders Engaged and Committed to Help (REACH) program also works with the Nashville Fire Department and partners with mental health clinicians.
"In our REACH program, about 73 percent are actively suicidal during their REACH call," Randolph added. "These numbers are incredibly high for acuity and these programs are designed — and the training for the officers and the paramedics — are all designed to meet this acute need that this community faces."
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a prevention network of 161 crisis centers that provides a 24/7, toll-free hotline available to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress. If you or someone you know needs support now, call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.
