Hemet Police Introduce New Community Behavioral Assessment Team Member

HEMET, CA — Hemet Police have added a new Community Behavioral Assessment Team member to the department, sharing once again the cooperation between police and mental health.

"The Hemet Police Department is excited to introduce Alexis Hoffman, MSW, ACSW, our newest Clinical Therapist with the Community Behavioral Assessment Team (CBAT)," a spokesperson for that agency said.

"Alexis earned her undergraduate degree from University of California, Riverside, where she worked with children with Autism Spectrum Disorder," the department shared. She later completed her Master of Social Work at University of Southern California and served on a co-response team alongside Campus Police at a community college.

"She is passionate about leading with empathy, building trust during moments of crisis, and making a meaningful impact in the community," they said. Hoffman will be partnered with Hemet's Officer Martinez as part of CBAT to continue supporting and strengthening the Hemet community.

The Hemet Police Department’s Community Behavioral Health Assessment Team was launched late in 2017.

"The team’s goal is to provide support for mental health patients above and beyond what our patrol officers are able to provide," according to the city website. The team attempts to contact those in need before they go into crisis to see if they can help before they begin having serious problems.

"(Each team member) is able to provide additional options for mental health patients such as admission to urgent care, transportation to their personal doctor, or even just follow up with their family to provide tips," according to the department.

Once a CBAT member makes contact with a subject, they will continue to follow up with them to ensure they are getting the help they need.

"Since its inception, we have seen a decrease in total mental health calls for service and a reduction in forced mental health detentions," the city website states." We have also realized a significant savings of patrol time spent on these kinds of calls –approximately 200 to 300 hours of patrol time saved each year.Each CBAT is staffed by a Hemet Police Officer and a Riverside County mental health professional, such as Hoffman.

Together, police and CBAT officers:

Provide compassionate crisis intervention;
Help de-escalate situations safely;
Connect individuals and families to local resources;
Offer follow-up support when needed.

"This team approach allows us to better serve our community with care, understanding, and professionalism," the news release stated.