A new mobile mental health team dedicated to Town of Wallkill police will help the department to respond more quickly to crisis calls, Wallkill Police Chief Robert Hertman announced on July 28.
Under the pilot program—limited to five days a week between noon and 8 p.m.—two social workers will be co-responding with police officers to calls that involve people with mental or substance abuse problems.
These usually are calls in which the subjects don’t pose an immediate threat to themselves or the people around them, but are considered in crisis and in need of help, according to Chief Hertman.
Trained social workers will help police to gauge needs onsite and will encourage participation in resources and treatment programs.
In the past three years, Wallkill police have responded to more than 1,000 crisis calls, Chief Hertman said.
Wallkill is the first police department in Orange County to have such a program in-house. Operated by the county, it was funded through a state grant secured by Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther, who represents the 100th District.
Prior to the new program, Wallkill police worked with two countywide mobile health teams on crisis calls, but the waiting time could be as long as two hours, according to information revealed during a town work session meeting in March.
“There were occasions where we needed their assistance, but they were helping officers in other parts of the county,” Chief Hertman said. “Now, with this third team, it’s going to provide swifter responses.”
When available, the Wallkill team will also respond to calls in nearby communities, according to Orange County Deputy Commissioner of Mental Health Lacey Trimble.
Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler said at a news conference that the new program is a great addition because data suggest that the majority of people who end up in the criminal justice system have either a documented substance abuse disorder or mental health issue.
“If this program can get people the help they need, and they make a recovery and don’t need to come into our criminal justice system, that is the best thing that can happen,” Mr. Hoovler said.
Town of Wallkill Supervisor George Serrano said the White Plains Police Department—where he used to work as a police officer—had a similar program that worked well.
“We are in a time when there are a lot of people having a mental crisis. They need the help, and we need to help them,” Mr. Serrano said. “Thank you to all who work on getting this program started and bringing it to the town of Wallkill.”
Ms. Gunther secured funding for the program as a special legislative grant through the New York State Office of Mental Health two years ago. Her district covers the majority of Sullivan County, as well as Middletown and Wallkill in Orange County
Aside from the Wallkill program, the $1 million grant also covered call center software upgrades and peer support services at the Middletown and Port Jervis police departments.
“The money that we allocate to the state budget every year is really your money, and it belongs to the taxpayer, so it is important to me that I bring back money home to my community,” said Ms. Gunther, who chairs the Assembly Standing Committee on Mental Health.
The Wallkill program is a one-year pilot program. Ms. Gunther said that she hopes to have more proof to advocate for continued state funding after that period ends.
The program is also the latest example of innovative policing models undertaken by Wallkill police, Chief Hertman said.
In 2003, the department adopted a policy of using nonlethal weapons on calls involving emotionally disturbed subjects, he said.
In 2017, it introduced training on how to handle people who are unarmed or armed with weapons other than firearms, Chief Hertman said.
The department also launched the Wallkill Cares program, he said.
The program was initiated following advocacy by Councilman Neil Meyer years ago to connect people struggling with addictions to resources.
