CITY OF WAUKEE By Becky Schuett
Waukee Public Safety in the Spotlight Waukee Police Department Partners to Provide Crisis Intervention Services
“We believe that having this additional training and these resources available to police and fire personnel will further enhance
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), one in five U.S. adults experienced a mental illness in 2020; one in 15 adults experienced both mental illness and a substance use disorder. Among young adults aged 18 to 25, one in three experienced a mental illness, while one in six adolescents aged 12 to 17 experienced a major depressive episode. With increasing numbers of people experiencing mental health struggles, mental health-related calls for service to law enforcement agencies, like the Waukee Police and Fire Departments, is also increasing in frequency. In May 2022, the City of Waukee entered into an agreement with Heart of Iowa Community Services to partner in the creation of a Crisis Intervention Team (CIT). Both entities share a mutual goal of making available training and resources to better equip law enforcement personnel to address mental health calls and situations. CITs will also be implemented by the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office and all Westcom Communication agencies, including Waukee. “We know that Iowans need and deserve more brain health (mental health) help, and our communities’ law enforcement officials are often the first point of contact individuals have when facing a brain health crisis,” said Darci Alt, Heart of Iowa Community Services CEO. “We’re proud to create a program that partners our brain health providers from Zion Integrated Behavioral Health Services with a dedicated and trained police officer. When law enforcement receive a call for brain health services, both individuals will respond. This is the first of several co-responder teams rolling out throughout the next several months within our region.” 4
July / August 2022
the public safety services provided by the City to the community.” - John Quinn, Waukee Police Chief
The CIT pilot program began in Waukee on July 1, 2022. It includes staffing one certified officer and one crisis intervention specialist fully dedicated to mental health calls for service. Waukee’s CIT members have gone through a 40-hour training facilitated by SolutionPoint+, a nationally recognized law enforcement and veteran-owned consulting and training company based in San Antonio, Texas. The training focuses on crisis intervention and de-escalation. All participating agencies, including Waukee, will then send all sworn officers through the training program. “The Waukee Police Department believes that having this additional training and these resources available to police and fire personnel will further enhance the public safety services provided by the City to the community,” John Quinn, Waukee Police Chief, said. “Furthermore, it will aid in fostering community relations, provide the tools necessary to allow public safety personnel to more effectively respond to mental health related calls, and provide more opportunities for intervention, navigation and follow up for those in need of mental health services.” Data from CDC, NIMH and other select sources. Find citations for this resource at nami.org/mhstats
1
