YORK, Pa. — Amid an increased focus on addressing mental health as a tool to reduce crime, York County Commissioners announced a $17.9 million grant for human services, including a co-responder unit.
The co-responder model pairs law enforcement with behavioral health specialists to intervene in and de-escalate potentially dangerous situations in which a person is having a mental health crisis.
“We cannot make our community safer and our community better unless we address the root causes of why crime exists,” said York County First Assistant District Attorney Tim Barker at the press conference announcing the program.
The first co-responder, Angie Alvarez, has been a crisis intervention counselor at WellSpan Health since 2009. She recently began working with York Area Regional and Spring Garden Township police departments.
The co-responder program is an extension of York County’s 167 Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) members, who are trained in de-escalation tactics.
In May, the team was able to safely disarm a man who was threatening to harm himself in West Manchester Township.
Co-responders have additional mental health training and focus on connecting people with the resources they need.
Alvarez said the fact that she is not a police officer helps gain some people’s trust.
“Normally it’s just using a calm tone, talking to the person one-on-one,” she said. “I think the fact that I’m not in uniform, they can relate more.”
The county is seeking two more co-responders, one to work with Springettsbury, Hellam and Lower Windsor Townships, and one to work with Hanover Borough and Penn and West Manheim Townships. The goal is to eventually have co-responders in every department in the county, officials said.
County officials praised the effort to reduce unnecessary arrests.
“Justice does not have to result in incarceration. Justice requires an understanding of the motivation for an individual’s behaviors,” said York County President Common Pleas Judge Maria Musti Cook.
“Although we’re playing catch-up society, I’m proud of York County that we’re not just playing catch-up, but we’re leading the way in giving police the tools they need,” said York County District Attorney Dave Sunday.