University Circle hires specialist to help officers respond to calls involving mental health issues

Posted March 14, 2024 in Articles

Author: Molly Walsh

University Circle has hired a specialist to help police officers respond to calls involving mental health crises.

Co-response teams, which partner officers with social service workers, have become popular in departments across the region and the country. Cleveland launched its program in 2020 and expanded it two years later.

University Circle Police Chief Tom Wetzel said Jaenin Deskin, a crisis-intervention specialist, was hired Tuesday. She will work with police part time, as she is a full-time specialist with the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority.

“This new program will also help us build bridges of trust within our community as we are demonstrating a true commitment to better serve those who are struggling with mental health challenges,” Wetzel said.

Deskin will work with a University Circle police officer trained in crisis intervention. They will form a co-responder team helping those experiencing mental health crises deal with officers in a number of situations, Wetzel said.

Prior to working with the transit authority, Deskin was an assistant professor in South Korea for about six years. She has previous social services experience working with the Chatham County Department of Children and Family Services in Savannah, Georgia, as a supervisor for foster-care services. She has also worked with agencies in Cuyahoga County.

Wetzel said Deskin would not be available 24/7 but would follow-up on matters that happen when she is off. She will work a four-hour shift in the morning while working for the transit authority full time.

“This innovative approach will improve our overall service model, and we are excited to have someone like Jaenin on our team,” Wetzel said.

In December, Cleveland City Council approved a contract to partner with the Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services Board of Cuyahoga County to further expand its co-responder program and possibly double the number of social workers helping during calls.

Earlier this month, Akron launched a pilot program that will partner police and fire officials with behavioral health specialists when responding to mental health crises.

Original Article: https://bit.ly/3x1E68E