The Alternative Response Team project, which involves social workers and paramedics responding to mental health calls, has been successful according to police. According to Police Inspector Elliot Faust, the partnership between Hennepin County social workers and North Memorial Health paramedics has been a significant achievement and they are pleased with its impact.
The program, announced a year ago with an original end date set for December 31, 2024, has been extended through the end of 2026 by the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners. Faust expressed excitement about the extension and noted that the police department has seen a decrease in mental health calls for the first time in years. After a steady increase over five years, mental health calls in Brooklyn Park peaked in 2022 at 1,291 and dropped to 1,096 in 2023. Faust attributes this decrease to the work of the Alternative Response Team.
Looking ahead, Faust hopes to expand the unit’s operating hours beyond regular business hours to better serve the community. He emphasized that despite their busy schedule, it is important for them to continue moving forward with the program as it has been successful in reducing mental health calls.
