OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – It’s a team that’s first to respond to a behavioral health crisis call.
They’re known as OPD’s co-responders and there’s at least six of them with at least one in each of the city’s precincts.
“Any time there’s a mental health component we can self dispatch to assist officers on scene or they can request us out to assist with the individual whose having a mental health crisis,” said Elisa Limoges, who has been an OPD co-responder since the program launched just four years ago.
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She deals with different urgent and complicated situations every single day.
This includes suicide calls to those experiencing trauma episodes.
“Setting them up to be successful the best way we can,” Limoges said.
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Lindsay Kroll with OPD oversees the unit.
Since the program started, she feels like it’s evolved and she’s realized more education is needed to help these co-responders.
“We’re finding that they’re doing a lot more assessment and playing more of a mental health expert on calls and just as a liaison to the department to answer questions on mental health related things,” Kroll said.
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This is why OPD decided to make some new changes.
Soon to be co-responders may need a masters degree in the human services field.
Right now, the current requirement is a bachelor’s degree.
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Among the other changes, officials would also bump up the starting pay by about $8,000 to $55,000.
“Really having that education and experience and getting that masters degree blends to be better suited to assist individuals,” Kroll said.
Those like Limoges also agrees.
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“It’s important to really to have more understanding of what that individual is going through and meet them where they’re at,” Limoges said.
OPD told 6 Today five of their 6 co-responders have a masters degree. But, that “one person” who doesn’t is in the process of getting it.
Also, these new requirements will be presented to city council next week and if it’s approved, they will take effect immediately.
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