…The new full-time hires were partially funded by a $14,737 grant awarded to the department by the U.S. Department of Justice. The mental health professionals were found through a partnership with the Behavioral Health Link (BHL), an organization that handles the Georgia Crisis and Access Hotline. BHL recently assisted the state in launching a COVID-19 Emotional Support Line, which received nearly 1,000 calls by the end of August.
“This model directly addresses concerns for non-law enforcement intervention in cases involving mental health issues, and it does so without siphoning resources away from fighting crime,” Mayor John Ernst said in the release.
Brookhaven CIT will also provide internal services, such as assisting with stress management, post-traumatic stress response and fatalities.
Hansen, Z. (2020, October 28). Brookhaven police hire 2 mental health professionals to assist officers. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. https://www.ajc.com/news/brookhaven-police-hire-2-mental-health-professionals-to-assist-officers/YYE5ZCOED5BVLNXDY2LYOV2KEM/