Meeting Crisis With Care: Transforming Mental Health and Justice

Stat: 2 million: The number of times people with mental health conditions in the United States are jailed annually.

Story: In the United States, law enforcement officers and emergency room physicians are often the only service providers on call to respond to people in a mental or behavioral health crisis—but they don't always have adequate training or capacity to handle these calls. As communities throughout the country grapple with increasing demand for mental health resources, new solutions such as crisis response teams are making a positive impact.

In this episode, we travel to Abilene, Texas, to learn how its interdisciplinary response team is meeting the needs of its residents, keeping people out of jail, and strengthening access to care.  

Additional guests featured in this episode: William Claxton, officer, Abilene Police Department, and former community response team member; Andrea Reyes, mental health crisis specialist, Betty Hardwick Center; Brad McGary, lieutenant, Abilene Police Department; and Josh Horelica, firefighter/paramedic, Abilene Fire Department, and former community response team member.

Related Resources:

• When People Face a Mental Health Crisis, What’s the Best Response?
• Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute
• Betty Hardwick Center