Eastern Jackson County Co-Responder Program 3.0 - Model for Growth (CoRV3.0)

The Eastern Jackson County Co-Responder Program 3.0 – Model for Growth (CoRV3.0) is a multidisciplinary collaboration among the Kansas City area council of governments, two certified community behavioral health clinics (CCBHCs), and five police departments in Jackson County, Missouri. Mid-America Regional Council (MARC) will partner with ReDiscover, Burrell Behavioral Health, and police departments in Blue Springs, Grandview, Independence, Lee’s Summit, and Raytown. The project will serve individuals in these communities who have mental health disorders (MHDs) or co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders (MHSUDs) and come into contact with law enforcement. Collectively, these communities have just under 340,000 residents. Thirteen percent (13%) of Jackson County residents live in poverty, though that rate is double among its many Black residents; in both Grandview and Raytown, more than one-third of the population is Black (34.5% and 37.3%, respectively). This project will address the priority area of promoting racial equity and the removal of barriers for these residents, improving access to services and reducing interactions with law enforcement.

The goal of CoRV3.0 is to expand and enhance an existing co-responder program to better serve the target population. CoRV3.0 will occur in two phases, including a six-month planning phase, followed by an implementation phase in which nine co-responders from the two CCBHCs will be embedded in the police departments. The co-responders will respond alongside officers to active 911 calls that involve mental health, substance use, or a related crisis. The co-responder will assist with de-escalation, assess the individual for MHDs and MHSUDs, and connect them with appropriate care. Co-responders will have approximately 1,400 contacts per year, connecting 800 of those contacts with mental health services. CoRV3.0 will achieve three primary objectives: 1) develop consistent data collection and response protocols across all partners, 2) provide new annual training opportunities to nine co-responders and additional law enforcement officers, and 3) develop a replicable co-responder model and quarterly program reports that can be shared and presented throughout the broader Kansas City region.

All project activities will occur in Jackson County. MARC requests $550,000 in federal support across three years to fund personnel salaries and training. MARC received Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program funding in 2020, award number 2020-MO-BX-0044. Ultimately, CoRV3.0 will build upon years of collaboration among the partners and help connect more Jackson County residents, especially Black individuals, with the services and supports they need and reduce their likelihood for future contact with law enforcement.