With the help of a nearly $290,000 federal grant, the initiative includes adding two crisis intervention specialists to the sheriff's work force.

LAFAYETTE PARISH, La. (KLFY)-- The Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Office is taking its services to the next level with the recent development of a crisis intervention team.

With the help of a nearly $290,000 federal grant, the initiative includes adding two crisis intervention specialists to the sheriff's work force.

The crisis intervention team will be specially trained employees who will serve under a co-response model, in other words, ready to respond alongside deputies to calls of individuals in crisis.

According to the sheriff's office, a crisis intervention team program is an innovative approach to improve the outcomes of encounters between law enforcement and individuals in crisis.

"We can't change every outcome but we can try to change some of the outcomes," Sheriff Mark Garber said.

Approximately 10% of LPSO’s incoming calls are related to behavioral health, according to LPSO. Upwards of 30% of individuals incarcerated at the Lafayette Parish Correctional Center have screened positively for severe mental illness. The team will be offering onsite de-escalation and intervention techniques to those involved in a crisis.

"We train to minimize risk to ourselves and risk to the public," Garber said. "This is one more apparatus or aspect of that."

While law enforcement will still be in charge of the handling of the scene, supplementing a response with a crisis intervention team member could allow for swift de-escalation, screening and planning.

"They also provide what's called like a hands-on referral, a positive referral and follow-ups with these individuals," Garber said. "We're great at triaging and dealing with the immediate problem but how often do we follow up with people, right."

The crisis intervention team program looks to connect mental health professionals and law enforcement officials with more ease, with plans to reduction in on-scene deputy injuries by 10%, according to LPSO.

Latest Posts