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City of Tukwila <br />Allan Ekberg, Mayor <br />INFORMATIONAL MEMORANDUM <br />TO: Community Services and Safety Committee <br />FROM: Chief of Police Eric Dreyer <br />BY: Chief of Police Eric Dreyer <br />CC: Mayor Ekberg <br />DATE: April 13th, 2021 <br />SUBJECT: City of Tukwila Regional Partner Co -Responder Program <br />ISSUE <br />The Tukwila Police Department is partnering with regional agencies for on-call Mental Health <br />Professional (M HP) co -responder services. <br />BACKGROUND <br />In accordance with the city's stated goals of a High -Performing & Effective Organization and a <br />Positive Community Identity & Image for all Tukwila community members, the Police <br />Department recognizes that there is a need for collaboration of services when it comes to <br />mental health and chemical addiction issues within the City of Tukwila. Our objective is to <br />reduce the number of mentally ill and chemically dependent interventions that requires jail and <br />hospitalizations. The police department also recognizes the need for diversion of mentally ill and <br />chemically dependent youth and adults from entering the Criminal Justice System. Co - <br />responder programs throughout the nation have been effective in reducing the number of <br />people entering the Criminal Justice System, while providing appropriate resources for their <br />illness. The department needs to provide services that provide the appropriate high-quality <br />services for our community members. <br />DISCUSSION <br />The South King County regional co -responder program is a collaborative approach designed to <br />address the City of Tukwila's desire to ensure Tukwila's mentally ill and chemically <br />dependent residents have access to community treatment in lieu of incarceration for non-violent <br />misdemeanor offenses where the individual is identified by officers and confirmed by a mental <br />health professional (MHP) to be demonstrating behaviors symptomatic of a mental disorder <br />and/or co-occurring disorder (combining mental health behavioral disorders with substance use <br />disorders). <br />The program accomplishes this goal by: 1) mental health professionals who respond to calls <br />when officers ask for professional (consultive) assistance by the MHP's; 2) working with and <br />educating officers in traditional methods employed by mental health professionals to de- <br />escalate individuals demonstrating behavioral health concerns as well as assist in providing <br />support to identify symptoms stemming from mental illness versus chemically altered behaviors; <br />3) ensure appropriate community services are accessed to facilitate diversion, including <br />community after-care services are available to individuals diverted from incarceration. <br />FINANCIAL IMPACT <br />There is no financial impact at this time, as this program is 100% grant funded. However, the <br />program is only supported with funds for a six-month period. The regional partners will be <br />exploring funding options to continue the services, dependent on the success of the program. <br />37 <br />