MHP Partners with Broomfield City, County and Police Department to Expand EDGE Program

For Immediate Release May 29, 2018 Media Contact: Kristina Shaw, MHP Marketing Director (303) 545-0840 | kshaw@mhpcolorado.org

MHP Partners with Broomfield City, County and Police Department to Expand EDGE Program

Mental Health Partners (MHP) announces its partnership with the City and County of Broomfield’s Police Department to bring the “Early Diversion, Get Engaged” (EDGE) co-responder program to the Broomfield community. This partnership was made possible thanks to an award granted to Broomfield’s City, County and Police Department by Colorado Department of Human Services, Law Enforcement and Behavioral Health Partnerships (Co-Responder Services) Program. The project runs from January 2018-June 2019 and, depending on funding, can be renewed up to four-years. EDGE is a law enforcement and behavioral health co-response program that aims to prevent unnecessary incarceration and hospitalization of individuals with a behavioral health issue by diverting the individual into treatment. Broomfield Police Department made initial steps toward improving response to individuals with behavioral illness by having patrol officers and detention staff complete Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training. Implementing the EDGE model, which provides clinical support staff to any responding officer, takes their commitment to the community to the next level. Under the EDGE model, a team of 3 MHP EDGE Clinicians and 1 MHP EDGE Peer Support Specialist will respond in collaboration with Broomfield Police Department officers to incidents that involve a known or suspected behavioral health issue 7-days per week. Behavioral Health Professionals provide consultation to law enforcement officers regarding appropriate response, assist with treatment service coordination and referrals, facilitate communication with external entities (e.g., emergency room), and can initiate a mental health hold if necessary. This allows both clinicians and officers to function at the height of their expertise while creating more efficient use of time and resources. The program will be led by Chief Gary Creager, Broomfield Police Department [Project Director] and Matthew Jaeckel, LCSW and EDGE Program Manager at Mental Health Partners [Project Manager]. The goals of the Broomfield program include providing co-response services to 100 individuals during the initial 6-month grant term and expanding to providing 350 field contacts per year, with at least 40% of eligible individuals engaged in behavioral health treatment services. The partnership and expansion into Broomfield also coincides MHP’s #EndTheStigma and #ExpandTheAccess focus for 2018-2019, which promotes expanded access to mental health services to the community. In fact, EDGE serves the most vulnerable members of our community: the high-risk, high-needs individuals whose behavioral health symptoms impede their ability to function successfully in our community. This pre-arrest diversion model provides a vital entry point into community-based behavioral health treatment at MHP as an effective alternative to arrest and incarceration, thereby reducing the harms of criminal justice involvement for those with addictions and mental illness, such as barriers to housing and employment, increased rates of trauma, and reduced access to effective treatment interventions.

Prior to this expansion, EDGE was successfully implemented and scaled in neighboring Boulder County through collaboration with Boulder County Sheriff’s Office, the City of Boulder Police Department, and the City of Longmont Police Department.

About Mental Health Partners: In alignment with our mission – Healing is our purpose. Help is our promise. Health is our passion. – Mental Health Partners (MHP) provides immediate access to expert mental health and substance use care so people can enjoy healthy and fulfilling lives. For more information or to access services, call (303) 443-8500. MHP also invites the community to check out their new website – www.mhpcolorado.org - and join the conversation regarding the importance of #EndTheStigma and #ExpandTheAccess on Facebook (@MentalHealthPartnersCO) and Twitter (@MentalHealthCO). For emergency assistance with a mental health crisis, please call 1 (844) 493-TALK (8255), text TALK to 38255 or go directly to our 24/7 Walk-In Center at 3180 Airport Rd., Boulder, CO.

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