Kansas Health Foundation Grant To Foster Collaboration, Strengthen Relationship Between Prairie View and Harvey County Law Enforcement
November 27, 2018
Newton, Kan. (November 27, 2018) –A $25,000 grant from the Kansas Health Foundation will partially fund a collaborative community mental health project in Harvey County, led by Prairie View.
Harvey County law enforcement report that up to 35 percent of their community interactions are behavioral health related, and that there is a need for training for officers in the areas of mental health awareness, identification and de-escalation.
EMS dispatchers estimate 20 percent of their 65,000 annual calls involve mental health factors, yet Prairie View is not always involved early enough to help avoid other costly interventions.
Prairie View will provide early intervention through consultation with law enforcement and EMS responders by providing access to guidance from mental health professionals.
“Prairie View has been working for many years to incorporate mental health advocacy and awareness into the larger community,” says Eric Schrag, director of advancement at Prairie View. “Having additional financial resources to help underwrite these efforts to collaborate more closely with law enforcement is an important next step in improving and enhancing community health, safety and wellness, especially as it relates to mental and behavioral health. Improved connections, referral infrastructure and intentional processes will improve our ability to address mental health needs early on, and reduce preventable emergency room visits and court expense. Our goal is that individuals can get the right help at the right time which will serve the individual better, enhance the community and better utilize community services.”
The project will begin early next year as data is gathered on the mental health intersections with law enforcement. These statistics will reveal the need for information, intervention and policy changes involving community agencies to determine future collaborative practices.
Then mechanisms will be developed to identify individuals who could benefit from outreach, engagement, mental health resources and community support services. Prairie View will provide training, and develop and provide referral resource information materials for use by law enforcement officers and EMS personnel.
As a result of network building and collaboration, it is hoped that by December 2019, Harvey County law enforcement will refer applicable situations involving mental health concerns to Prairie View for contact and screening for appropriate service(s). Access clinicians will make initial contact with each referral from law enforcement.
A second objective is for the Newton Medical Center Emergency Department to experience a decrease in mental health related situations being referred to them by law enforcement.