Brown County leaders are proposing a plan today to get those with a mental health crisis the care they need, faster. NBC26 was there for the plan outlines on Tuesday and explains what changes could be coming.
Brown County's 2016 budget includes 200 thousand dollars for a program that would offer emergency mental health services that are mobile and show up at your door. According to county leaders the move, could be a game changer.
Receiving a well-fare check call or a need for police to be dispatched on the account of a mental health emergency, is something law enforcement is used too in Brown County.
"Not only do we deal with this on a daily instance but it happens on every shift," says Captain Dan Sandberg of the Brown County Sheriff’s Office.
But to be accompanied on those calls by a mental health expert, that would be something new for Brown County.
"These crisis councilors can access people in their home and in their community settings. This is different than our current system that rely's on bringing the person from their environment to the crisis center or providing services by phone in many situations," says Erik Pritzl the Director of Brown County Human Services.
County leaders say that expanding mobile crisis services would not only free up time for law enforcement to deal with other calls, but most importantly get people the care they need the first time around.
"The individual who is having a crisis, we're able to make that determination there on the spot and give them the treatment that they need," says Brown County Executive Director Troy Streckenbach.
Which ultimately creates a change in the way law enforcement and mental health care providers here in Brown County, handle some of the toughest calls they receive during a shift.
The proposal still has to be presented to the Human Services Committee and the Brown County Board for approval. If it is implemented county leaders fully expect to cut costs associated with mental health emergencies in the long run.
If the County Board approves the proposal there could be emergency mental health crews on the ground and running as soon as mid-March.
