ECSO Receives $549,000 in Grants for Mental Health Services

Escambia County, Florida (WKRG) — The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office received a $549,000 grant to train three agents to work with mental health clinicians in Lakeview.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, the grant will allow them to form two joint response teams to work with mental health professionals on mental health-related calls and provide immediate care and support to community members when needed. Provide resources. The office said it would provide mental health-specific responses to individuals as well as free up patrol agents to respond to calls for other services.

ECSO said it applied for the grant in May as part of the ECSO Mental Health Wellness Unit led by Colonel Mindy Von Ansbach Young. The unit supports ECSO employees and works with local mental health providers.

“The use of crisis-based services in combination with law enforcement response ensures prompt delivery of care and minimizes the likelihood of law enforcement arrests, baker acts, and marchman acts. I will,” said Young.

The Joint Responder Unit is the latest addition to ECSO’s mental health initiative.