The Illinois State University Police Department (ISUPD) is launching a co-responder program this semester with hopes of helping individuals in crisis. In collaboration with The McLean County Center for Human Services (MCCHS), the program pairs a police officer with a crisis worker to respond to mental health calls.
“It's just so important because we see the community needs, the gaps in services, the barriers to care,” said Sonja Workman, the peer services development and community training program manager at the McLean County Center for Human Services [MCCHS].
The McLean County Center for Human Services will now enter this state network. CCBHCs provide care to anyone who asks, regardless of their ability to pay. They also have 24/7 behavioral health crisis operations and coordinate care across the communities they serve.
A New Horizon’s focus is on peer support. This means the people who work there and are leading discussions have lived experience with substance use disorder.