Clemson University Police Behavioral Health Crisis Response Program

The Clemson University Police Department (CUPD) located in northwest South Carolina
requests $549,991.78 of 2022 Connect and Protect: Law Enforcement Behavioral Health Responses
funding to implement a community law enforcement-mental health collaborative strategy to improve
responses and connections to treatment for people with mental health and co-occurring disorders.
The proposed project is situated in three rural underserved counties with high-poverty (Anderson,
Oconee, and Pickens – combined population of 384,422) surrounding the university. A Project
Team comprised of a Law Enforcement Project Coordinator, local mental health treatment service
providers, and scientific consultants will participate in Phase I planning meeting sessions to identify
and address justice mental health training needs, resource gaps, and set response procedures for
CUPD. Planning work will be guided through technical assistance and community stakeholder input
to be collected, synthesized, and transmitted through process evaluation feedback to CUPD and
regional agency stakeholders. Scientific consultants will build on a comprehensive agency
assessment, a resources inventory, and analysis of mental health data (i.e., calls for services, arrests
for people with MHD/CMHSUD, and connections to treatment) to inform development of an
agency action plan (the Planning and Implementation Guide). Phase II of the project will include a
tailored police mental health collaboration (PMHC) strategy including CIT and MHFA law
enforcement training delivered to partnering agencies combined with an embedded clinician coresponder
team that will provide screening, assessment, and referrals for MHD/CMHSUD services
toward the goal of improved public safety and diversion from the criminal justice system. The
project supports OJP priorities to promote civil rights and racial equity along with Connect and
Protect Priorities with: 1) implementation of an evidence-based law enforcement justice and mental
health collaboration strategy (co-responder model) to identify and reduce the risk of harm to
individuals with MHD/CMHSUD, 2) referral and treatment services for female and minority
individuals with MHDs/MHSUDs, and 3) use of interventions that are empirically validated to
respond to offenders at risk of recidivism. Crisis Intervention Specialists (CIS) employed by
accredited mental health partners will be embedded within CUPD and paired with a specially
trained mental health response CUPD co-responder officer (CRO) to create two co-responder teams
(CRT). The project will be supported by a scientific mixed methods program evaluation and
assessment of the PMHC strategy on community satisfaction including marginalized populations.
Evaluators will provide empirical feedback for program improvement and dissemination of process
and outcome findings to the law enforcement and scientific communities.