Red Bank Deputy Mayor Kate Triggiano: Pairing Police with Mental Health Experts
The Big Idea:
● Red Bank Deputy Mayor Kate Triggiano, who has also served her town as a Councilwoman and a volunteer firefighter, has led efforts to build a partnership between police and social workers to improve and de-escalate responses to mental health emergencies.
● Triggiano forged Red Bank’s partnership with PULSSE, a Proactive Union of Law Enforcement and Social Service Experts, a group that brings highly skilled mental health professionals to coordinate with police in response to 911 calls to ensure people experiencing substance use, emotional, and mental health crises are connected with appropriate resources and services.
Background:
● A recent analysis of 911 calls in eight cities found that up to 38 percent of calls could potentially be handled without an armed officer. These were related to mental health, substance use, homelessness, and other concerns.
● Mental health specialists are better trained to deal with some of these issues, yet police are often the first call during a mental health emergency.
● Triggiano, a service-oriented leader who is passionate about collaborating with her community to solve problems and bringing best practices to Red Bank, worked with the police department and others to find a better solution.
Fun Fact:
A recent study shows that similar programs introduced in New Jersey sending teams of social workers and police to respond to emergencies have shown dramatic decreases in arrests and use of force and increases in utilization of social services.
Their Take:
Kate Triggiano
“Building collaboration across our community is exactly how we can solve problems and improve outcomes for everyone. Now that we have this program, we are finding solutions for individuals in crisis and ensuring people are getting the resources and services that they need.”
