Noblesville mental health program basis for proposed statewide grant

Why it matters: People experiencing mental health crises are often met by first responders who are ill-equipped for such situations — sometimes to a tragic end.

• According to a Washington Post estimate, 20% of victims in fatal police shootings since 2015 were experiencing a mental health crisis.
• Others become "frequent flyers," people who overuse police and emergency services because their underlying needs aren't being met.

How it works: Jensen partnered with the Noblesville police and fire departments to launch NobleACT in February 2020.

• It uses mental health police officers and community paramedics to connect residents in need to existing community services, diverting people in crisis away from the criminal justice system.

By the numbers: It started with one police officer, reclassified from regular duties to become the NobleACT officer, and one therapy dog.

• The program has since added two additional dogs, three paramedics and another police officer.
• A crisis intervention specialist will be hired this year.
• The team has answered more than 6,000 calls.
• "We've reduced the number of repeat calls to emergency services from some residents needing support, while connecting them with the full spectrum of resources," Jensen said.

Meanwhile, local officials also analyzed their emergency call data.

• That's how they found that slips, trips and falls were driving many of their calls for help.
• Now, NobleACT conducts walkthroughs of homes and retirement communities to proactively look for hazards.

The latest: Senate Bill 10 would create the Community Cares Initiative grant, helping communities start their own intervention program.

• The idea isn't about creating a new mental health service, said Sen. Scott Baldwin (R-Noblesville), but about better using existing resources to respond more appropriately to calls for service.

• It unanimously passed a legislative committee yesterday.

Of note: Baldwin isn't asking for new funding this year. He said the Family and Social Services Administration, which would administer the grant, already has some money available for the first year.

• He plans to request additional funding during next year's budget-writing session.

What they're saying: Baldwin, a former police officer, said he saw firsthand how law enforcement struggled to respond to folks who needed something other than what they could provide.

• "We had one tool that was immediate detention," he said. "We've come a long way but I think this bill takes us one step closer."

The bottom line: Jensen said the state has made progress in recognizing the importance of mental health but needs to do more and pass SB 10.

• "We must go beyond erasing the stigma," Jensen said, "... and implement programs that genuinely save lives."