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Podcast: A Health Podyssey
Episode: The importance of mental health workers for mobile crisis response
Description: With the US becoming more focused on addressing mental health, one important topic is how society responds to people experiencing mental health crises. A typical crisis response involves a 911 dispatcher sending a police officer to respond and provide support. However, the vast majority of police officers have little or no training for how to best respond to those in mental health crises. In addition, people with serious mental health disorders are at elevated risk of being harmed in confrontations with the police.About 30 years ago in Eugene, Oregon, a small group created an alternative program...