ANSWERING A CRISIS Carroll Partners with Waukesha to Train Behavioral Health Responders

Carroll University is partnering with the city of Waukesha to develop a program that will train behavioral health responders who can respond to calls that involve mental health issues.

The program will first train personnel to work with Waukesha. Kathy Kramer, dean of the School of Education and Human Services, said the concept has wide application, with other law enforcement agencies, social service providers and even school districts likely to benefit from the employment of behavioral health responders.

The non-credit program will be developed and offered by the School of Education and Human Services and Carroll’s Office of Continuous and Lifelong Learning. According to Susan Riekkoff, an adjunct instructor of education, the pilot program will feature a combination of in-person and online learning, culminating with a clinical placement experience that pairs students with community partners such as the Waukesha Police Department.

“This is an exciting opportunity for responding in a very different way,” said Riekkoff. “It’s a distinct philosophy which provides the opportunity to make sure people are getting a compassionate response yet one that addresses the crisis at hand.” Not long ago, she added, the common responses were to do nothing or jail or hospitalize someone. “This training helps us address the complicated needs of the individual.”

The curriculum will cover crisis intervention, de-escalation training, suicide prevention and risk assessment and trauma-informed care. Students will also study criminal justice, the intersections of mental health and criminality, and diversity, equity and inclusion in mental health.

The Behavioral Health Responder curriculum will provide a pipeline of trained Behavioral Health Responders for Waukesha and other municipalities and organizations. Graduates of the program will be rewarded stackable badges, one for each module, that will result in a Behavioral Health Responder Credential consistent with Carroll University’s credentialing practices.