Suffolk Police, Family Service League Partner On Mental Health Programs

HAUPPAUGE, NY — Suffolk County and the Family Service League have partnered on three programs aimed at helping to provide people suffering from mental illnesses and/or substance abuse disorders with necessary services. The programs will free up Suffolk police resources, according to an announcement made Thursday by Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone, Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison, and the Family Service League.

The Suffolk County Police Department created a Behavioral Health Unit in August 2021 to implement programs aimed at addressing mental illness, substance use disorder and homelessness — issues that result in frequent police calls. The unit was formed as part of the county's Police Reform Plan.

The three programs are:

• 911 Diversion: When deemed safe, emergency complaint operators transfer callers to a crisis hotline worker.
• Telehealth-Crisis Intervention: Trained officers responding to those with mental illness, substance use disorders, and other behavioral health issues will be able to video conference with social workers at the Diagnostic Assessment Stabilization Hub (DASH).
• High Utilizer: Suffolk police will refer those with mental health crises who call police three or more times in six months to mental health professionals at Family Service League.

"The goal of these three programs is to reduce the stigma around mental health, de-escalate tense situations, address gaps in behavioral health response, and ultimately, get those who are in crisis the treatment and help that they need," Bellone said.

The programs will help law enforcement de-escalate situations with care.

More than 20 percent of patrol officers have received enhanced mental health response or crisis intervention training, according to Bellone. The goal is that four officers and one supervisor per squad are trained.

Mental health and first-aid were also introduced to the Suffolk police academy curriculum, so officers are trained on how to handle these situations.

"The bottom line here is police officers never know what might be on the other side of a 911 call," Bellone said. "Oftentimes, they must assist emotionally-distressed callers. In Suffolk County, we are fully committed to ensuring our officers in the field are well-versed and highly-trained in as many scenarios as possible, including those pertaining critically to mental health and crisis management situations."

Harrison said that since June, roughly 150 calls were diverted from the 911 center to the crisis hotline, which connects people suffering a crisis to a behavioral health professional.

The department also has a telehealth program available 24/7 that allows police officers in the field to connect with social workers through video, according to Harrison.

Through the high-utilizer system, which allows police to refer those with mental health crises who call police three or more times in six months to mental health professionals at Family Service League, the department has made 173 referrals to the Family Service League. Roughly 70 percent of those referrals have had a positive outcome, Harrison said.

"This team effort between the Suffolk County Police Department and Family Service League is essential to get those services to those individuals who are in crisis," Harrison said.