Abstract
As a result of the systematic dismantling of the mental health care system in the United States, responsibility for people experiencing mental health emergencies has transferred from mental health care professionals to law enforcement officers. Due to this blending of the mental health system with the criminal justice system, people with untreated mental illness are disproportionately arrested, incarcerated, and fatally shot by law enforcement. In response to the need to provide appropriate mental health treatment for people in crisis, the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign Police Department (UIPD) created the Response, Evaluation, and Crisis Help (REACH) Program, a collaborative team that brings police officers and social workers together to co-respond to mental health-related calls for service. While some research exists on the implementation of co-responder models of policing in local law enforcement agencies, there is a gap in the literature on co-responder models in a college and university settings, where students often find themselves in crisis during times when mental health services are unavailable. Drawing from qualitative data obtained through semi-structured interviews from a sample (n = 4) of social workers, the current work examines the experiences of mental health professionals operating alongside law enforcement officers in response to people experiencing mental health crises on a university campus. Implications for public policy are addressed.
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Notes
Prior to conducting these interviews, approval was granted by the University’s Human Subjects Review Committee, and authorization to conduct these interviews was obtained from the Chief of Police. REACH social workers were informed of the voluntary and confidential nature of this study and were provided with the option of withdrawing from the study at any time.
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Appendix. Semi-Structured Interview Schedule
Appendix. Semi-Structured Interview Schedule
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1.
What is your background in police work/mental health services?
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2.
Why did you get involved in the REACH program?
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3.
What are some of the skillsets that you personally bring to the REACH program?
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4.
What are some of the calls for service you have responded to as a member of the REACH program?
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5.
What are your thoughts on partnerships between police and social workers during calls for servicing involving people experiencing mental health crises?
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6.
How has public perception of your department changed since the implementation of the REACH program?
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7.
What kinds of feedback have you and your agency received since the implementation of the REACH program?
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8.
What have you found to be the most rewarding aspect of your involvement in the REACH program?
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9.
What have you found to be the biggest challenge associated with your involvement in the REACH program?
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What else would you like me to know about the REACH program?
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Lynch, C.G. Social Workers’ Experiences with Police Partnerships in Mental Health Calls for Service: A Qualitative Analysis of a Co-Responder Model of Policing. J Police Crim Psych 39, 383–389 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11896-024-09668-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11896-024-09668-9