Mental health clinician in 911 dispatch center

Bakersfield Police officers respond to all 911 calls and while most calls are about a crime being committed some involve someone suffering from a mental health issue.

BAKERSFIELD POLICE OFFICERSRESPOND TO ALL 911 CLS...AALWHILE MOST ARE ABOUT A CRIMEBEING COMMITTED...SOME INVOLVE SOMEONE SUFFERING FROMA MENTAL HEALTHISSUE.TONIGHT, THE CITY COUNCIL COULDCHANGE HOW THOSECALLS ARE HANDLED.23ABC'S BRIANNA WILLIS HAS MOREON A PROGRAM BEINGRE PSENTEDTONIGHT.THIS PILOT PROGRAM BEING VOTEDDURING THE 5PM BAKERSFIELD CITYCOUNCIL MEETING IS A PARTNERSHIPBETWEEN B-D P-AND KERN BEHAVIORAL HEALTHTHEY TELL ME A MENTALHEALTH CLINICAN TO THE 911DISPATH CENTER WILL BE THE FIRSTIN THE COUNTRY."WE GOT THE INPUT FROM THECOMMUNITYAND LOOKED AT BEST PRACTICES ANDTHROUGH OUR PARTNERSHIP TALKINGTO SOME OF THE SUBJECT MATTEREXPERTS AT KERN BEHAVIORALHEALTHAND RECOVERY SERVICES, IT MADESENSE TO TRY A PILOT PROGRAMWI ATHCLINICIAN IN OUR COMMUNICATIONSCENTER."SERGANET ROBERT PAIR FROM THEBAKERSFIELDPOLICE DEPARTEMENT SAYS THE GOALIS TO HAVESOMEONE THAT IS THE FIRST LINEOF COMMUNICATION TO SOMEONE THATIS HAVING A MENTAL HEALTHCRISIS."KEEP IN MIND THAT A LARGENUMBER OFOUR CALLS THAT WE RECEIVE EVENON OUR EMERGENCY LINE AREN'TNECESSARILYCLASSICALLY EMERGENCIES, IT MAYBE SOMEONE THAT HAS REPEATMENTALHEALTH ISSUE" S.TONYA MANN FROM KERN BEHAVIORALHEALTH AGRS EEHAVING A MENTAL HEALTH EXPERT ONA CALL WILL HELP PROVIDE A MOREIMMEDIATE REPSONSE"THE LAST THING SOMEONE WANTS TODO WHEN THEY ARE IN A BEHAVIORALHEALTH CRISIS IS WAIT FOR LAWENFORCEMENT TO RESPOND, SOUR OTHOUGHT IS IF WE CAN HAVESOMEONE RIGHT THERE IN THE COMMCENTER WE CAN PROVIDE THATIMMEDIATE RESPONSE ANDAL TKTHROUGHTO HOPEFULLY HELP THAT PERSONRESOLVE THAT CRISIS."TONYA ADDS THE CLINICAN WOULDNOT ONLY RESPOND TO THECALL BUT WILL HELP THEINDIVIDUAL WITH LONG TERMMENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ." BEHAVIORAL HEALTH STAFF CANHAVE ACONVERSATION WITH THE INDIVIDUALDISCUSSING THEIR BEHAVIORALHEALTHNEEDS, WE CAN TRANSFERO TOURHOTLINE, WE CAN LINK TOSERVICES,WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO TORESOLVE THE SITUATION IN THATMOMENT."PAIR BELIEVES THE PROGRAM IS AWIN -WIN -- ADDING THIS WILLHELP OFFICERS FOCUS THEIR ENERGYON OTHER CALLS."DECREASE THE NUMBER OFRESOURCES, MEANING OFFICERS ONTHE STREET THAT ARE VIHANG TORESPONDTO NON-CRIMINAL MATTERS ANDHOPEFULLY THEN DRIVE DOWNRESPONSE TIMES SO WE GET THEREQUICKER WHEN IT IS A CRIMINALMAERTTKERN BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND BPDENTERED A MEMORANDUM OUNDERSTANDING LAST WEEK AND ASWE MENTIONED THE CITY COUNCILWILL BE VOTING ON THE ITEMTONIGHT.WE WIL UPDATE YOU ON OUR WEBSITETURN TO 23 DOT COM.IN DOWNTOWN BAKERSFIELD, BRIANNAWILLIS 23ABC NEWS,CONNECTING YOU.NOW TO THE