RCR: Bridging the Gap Between Law Enforcement and Behavioral Health with Treatment Navigators

The Regional Crisis Response (RCR) Agency, formed by interlocal agreement between City of Bothell, City of Kenmore, City of Kirkland, City of Lake Forest Park, and City of Shoreline, proposes to implement the RCR: Bridging the Gap Between Law Enforcement and Behavioral Health with Treatment Crisis Responders Project. This award is funded as an administrative funding adjustment of 15PBJA-21-GG-04301-MENT. 

The RCR Agency (a municipal services organization representing the police departments of Bothell, Kenmore, Kirkland, Lake Forest Park, and Shoreline, WA, with city managers as signing authorities for the establishing inter-local agreement) represents the law enforcement entity of the project. The Center for Human Services represents the mental health agency of the project. 

The project is aimed at individuals with MI/CMISA at the law enforcement intercept point due to their MI and CMISA, who have historically not successfully engaged with the treatment system. The number of individuals to be served will be defined during the planning year and with the BJA training and technical assistance partner.

The North King County region which would be served under this funding includes the cities of Shoreline, Lake Forest Park, Kenmore, Bothell, and Kirkland, WA. Approximate population of 227,000 people, 245 sworn officers, covers approximately 53.11 square miles, and 79% white, 21% black, indigenous, and people of color. An average of 4.8% of the population below the poverty line.

In order to better meet the needs of people with MI/CMISA, the five represented RCR Agency Principals’ Police Departments will partner with the Center for Human Services to create a bridge from the law enforcement intercept to treatment via a full-time mental health professional “Treatment Navigator” position and additional co-response crisis responder capacity. The Co-Response Crisis Responders will respond with officers to in-progress calls and follow up with people with MI/CMISA to get them enrolled in treatment at Center for Human Services. Deliverables will include a planning and implementation guide, hiring two staffers (planning year); providing services for people with MI/CMISA; and a report or white paper sharing our data, results, and funding with other jurisdictions (implementation years). This funding will enhance an existing co-response program by creating and formalizing a bridge to the community mental health treatment system.

Program Specific Priority Areas to be addressed in the application include: (1) promote effective strategies by law enforcement to identify and reduce the risk of harm to individuals with MI/CMISA and to public safety; and (2) promote effective strategies for identification and treatment of female offenders with MI/CMISA.