KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – The city of Kalamazoo has just gotten $483,000 to beef up its innovative mental health crisis emergency response team.
Currently the city only has a part time employee who responds to emergency calls when there is a behavioral health crisis in progress.
In cooperation with Integrated Services of Kalamazoo, the new money will make it possible to hire two additional full-time interventionists, with additional funding to train others, like public safety officers, and other emergency responders.
38% of the calls for emergency response come from Kalamazoo Public Safety.
Here is city commissioner Chris Preadel.
The grant comes from the Michigan State Police.
Prior to this program, officers were on their own if they responded to a call where the issue was more of a mental health issue than a criminal matter.
The grant will also fund gear and training for the county’s SWAT hostage negotiator unit.
The specialists can make sure the person in crisis gets the help they need, rather than wind up in the Kalamazoo County Jail.
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