Co-Responder Program - Community Partnership with River Edge Behavioral Health

Macon-Bibb County requests funding of $141,817 to expand the current Co-Responder Program with community partner River Edge Behavioral Health. The current program represents a coordinated effort that pairs employees of the Sheriff’s Office and River Edge to respond to emergency calls that appear to involve behavioral health or substance abuse events. This model utilizes the combined expertise of the Sheriff’s Office and River Edge specialists to de-escalate the subsequent series of events. The team addresses the appropriate level of care in attempts to reduce emergency room admissions and unnecessary incarcerations.