chapel Hill Expands crisis response team

Chapel Hill Police Department and Orange County are partnering to establish a 24-hour mobile crisis response team. Introduced as the Crisis Assistance, Response, and Engagement (CARE) team, it will respond to crisis calls that do not require the involvement of law enforcement in person or virtually.

To share more on the new initiative, Chapel Hill Police Chief Celisa Lehew spoke with the Town of Chapel Hill newsroom. “We know from the experience of our longstanding crisis unit that many calls involving behavioral health, mental health, and substance abuse require a specialized response. Therefore, Orange County’s 911 call center will now be home to a crisis counselor who will be an integral part of the CARE team and the holistic response within the community”, said Lehew.

“When necessary, the crisis counselor in the 911 call center will divert non-emergency calls from in-person responses.” Chapel Hill newsroom stated in a press release. “In addition, the appointed counselor may be able to provide remote support to callers before first responders or members of the CARE team arrive.”

Kirby Saunders, Orange County Emergency Services Director, shared, “The CARE team’s goal is to respond to situations that do not pose a grave public safety danger and provide direct and indirect support to those in need where they are.” Saunders believes that this comprehensive approach will profoundly impact and improve outcomes for those in crisis.

“Welcoming a crisis counselor into our 911 call center is groundbreaking,” said Saunders. “ This counselor will be able to provide support to community members over the telephone while at the same time assisting in determining the most appropriate support or response. We believe the counselor will become an invaluable resource and Orange County is excited to help expand the great work that the police department has been doing for more than 50 years. Adding the additional skills of a peer support specialist with lived experience and an EMT with medical expertise to evaluate and treat minor conditions medically is an evidence-based best practice,” said Saunders.