Transforming Community Care Through the Behavioral Health Unit

Improving quality of life is a goal in both healthcare and policing.  ChristianaCare and the New Castle County Division of Police are working together to change lives in our community. 

The collaboration is called the Behavioral Health Unit, a groundbreaking partnership that pairs officers with social workers to transform crisis response. When 911 calls with mental health components come in, these specialized teams respond together. Officers ensure safety while social workers conduct comprehensive assessments to determine appropriate care possibilities beyond the limited options of jail or emergency rooms.

On this episode of For the Love of Health, New Castle County Division of Police Corporal Colleen Kearns and ChristianaCare Social Worker Delilah Colon describe the issues that led to the formation of the Unit, share facts and statistics about the people and families the program has impacted, and look forward to how this partnership is serving as a template for the future of policing around the state.

Links

• Hero Help – New Castle County Division of Police Addiction & Behavioral Health Unit
• Wilmington Police Partners in Care Program
• Newark Police Department Behavioral Health Unit
• Delaware Public Media, 2020: ChristianaCare to staff New Castle Co. Police Behavioral Health Unit

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Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction to the Behavioral Health Unit
• 2:54 Crisis Response Process Explained
• 5:18 Follow-up and Continuous Care
• 8:20 Measuring Success and Community Impact
• 11:20 Building Trust with Law Enforcement
• 14:55 The Future of Collaborative Policing