U.P. police launch program to talk to mental health professionals during crises

Five Upper Peninsula law enforcement agencies have adopted a program that lets officers use their smartphones or tablets to communicate with behavioral health professionals for real-time assistance during interactions with mentally ill citizens.

Baraga County Memorial Hospital and the Baraga County Sheriff's Office last month rolled out the "Virtual Crisis Care" program that also is used by the Keweenaw Bay Tribal Police Department, the Village of L'Anse Police Department, the Village of Baraga Police Department, and troopers at the Michigan State Police Calumet Post.

Adoption of the program comes as police departments across Michigan and nationwide are responding to record numbers of mental health-related runs. Problems stemming from COVID-related lockdowns have prompted a surge in demand for mental health services in Michigan.

The problems arising from the interaction of police and mental health are most acute in Detroit, where police are responding to a record number of mental health-related runs. Through July 10, Detroit police officers were responding to an average of 40 mental health runs per day.

But police officers across Michigan are dealing with the issue, and in August, the Houghton Police Department, Houghton County Sheriff's Office and the Copper Shores Community Health Foundation began conducting behavioral health emergency training for law enforcement agencies in the U.P.

The Virtual Crisis care program that was adopted last month by the five U.P. agencies, which is also used by police departments in South Dakota, Montana and Nevada, utilizes Sioux Falls, S.D.-based telemedicine provider Avel eCare.

"Avel eCare will equip our deputies and officers with a powerful tool to help de-escalate tense situations and ensure those in crisis have the best care and support possible," Baraga County Sheriff Joe Brogan said in a statement.

Baraga County Memorial Hospital CEO Rob Stowe said the impact of the program "will be significant."

"Programs such as these — which provide citizen-focused, upstream behavioral health interventions — help reduce unnecessary hospitalizations and strengthen the fabric of community mental health," Stowe said.

The program that's funded by the Copper Shores Community Health Foundation and the Michigan Health Endowment Fund also allows officers access to professionals to help with their own mental health issues.

“Crisis Care was originally designed to help law enforcement manage the increasing number of 911 calls involving people in the community with mental health crises. But with the many difficult, high-pressure situations these officers find themselves in, it’s important we give them the help and support they need too,” Amber Reints, director of behavioral health for Avel eCare, said in a statement.

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, police officers experience higher rates of depression and other mental health-related problems than the general population.

ghunter@detroitnews.com