Central Iowa police departments respond to crises in new ways

State of play: The mental health nonprofit serves Audubon, Guthrie and Dallas counties.

• In January 2022 they created a program that pairs contracted social workers with police officers. Both are trained in crisis intervention.
• The team works full-time weekday shifts together and responds to dispatch calls that appear mental health-related.
• Heart of Iowa fully funds both positions through a grant from the state.

Zoom in: Waukee, Clive, Urbandale and West Des Moines are currently participating, with Guthrie County, Knoxville, Pella and Osceola joining this year.

By the numbers: Between July 2022 and November 2023, the program responded to 890 calls for service and helped divert 280 central Iowans from going to jail by instead providing mental health services.

• 98% of those people have stayed out of jail.

The big picture: The Des Moines Police Department has its own program where officers are replaced with counselors from Broadlawns on calls where mental health appears to be a factor. It has proved successful.

The bottom line: Most municipalities have mobile crisis services, but this helps fill the gaps, Alt says.

• Officers from smaller police departments are often responding to multiple calls.
• But this program lets the same, consistent team respond together and stay for as long as needed.