HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021 02-02 Mental health worker to partner with Maplewood police STAR TRIBUNEEAST METRO
Mental health worker to partner with
Maplewood police
Suburb's police, fire agencies have internal outreach team, but this
will boost long-term case management.
By Shannon Prather (https://www.startribune.com/shannon-prather/6370507/) Star Tribune
FEBRUARY 2, 2021 — 10:42PM
A Ramsey County mental health worker will be embedded with Maplewood police and
other first responders in an effort to "decriminalize mental illness."
The Ramsey County Board approved the move Tuesday, assigning one of its mental
health professionals to work full time with the suburb's police, fire and ambulance
service.
"We need to decriminalize mental health issues and this is the way to do it," said
Maplewood Mayor Marylee Abrams. "If we can get early intervention with health and
human services resources, hopefully we can make a lasting change in peoples' lives and
help them avoid going into full-blown crisis."
Maplewood is the first Ramsey County suburb to partner with the county in this way.
St. Paul police started embedding social workers with officers in 2018.
About 900 of Maplewood's nearly 13,000 emergency medical and police calls, roughly
7%, were mental health related, including 51 calls for suicides in progress, according to
Maplewood Fire Chief Michael Mondor.
Some people call 911 a dozen times or more per month describing emotional crisis
including hallucinations and suicidal thoughts, according to first responders.
In response, Maplewood police and firefighters/paramedics formed the mental health
outreach team within its own ranks in 2019. Until now, they worked without the
assistance of trained social and mental health staff.
The team reaches out to those frequent 911 callers who exhibit symptoms of mental
illness and their families, offering to meet regularly to discuss how they can help.
Sometimes, it is connecting people to services. Other times, it is encouraging them to
stick to their already -prescribed therapy and medication routines. In all cases, it is a
calmer, safer opportunity to talk through issues than a panicked 911 call.
But there's a limit to the time and expertise police and paramedics devote to case
management, Mondor said.
This allows for a coordinated handoff to a county professional who can connect people
with services and long-term case management, Mondor said.
Maplewood Public Safety Director Scott Nadeau said this strategy reduces arrests and
emergency situations that can escalate quickly.
"The more you are dragging mentally ill people into the criminal justice system, it's a
worse outcome for them and it's a worse outcome for our community," Nadeau said.
County commissioners praised the new partnership as communities across Minnesota
and the country explore new strategies vs. traditional police/fire/EMS emergency
response.
"I think it's so critical to community health and community public safety," said
Commissioner Victoria Reinhardt, who represents Maplewood. "If there is a mental
health crisis happening, they need the services we provide."
Shannon Prather 9 651-925-5037
STAR TRIBUNE FILE
Maplewood Public Safety Director Scott
Nadeau, center, shown in 2019.
Shannon Prather covers Ramsey County for the Star Tribune. Previously, she covered philanthropy
and nonprofits. Prather has two decades of experience reporting for newspapers in Minnesota,
California, Idaho, Wisconsin and North Dakota. She has covered a variety of topics including the legal
system, law enforcement, education, municipal government and slice -of -life community news.
Shannon. Prather@startribune.com 612-673-4804 ShannonMPrather