Clarksville Police Department, Centerstone awarded grant for Behavioral Health Mobile Crisis Team

CLARKSVILLE, TN – The Clarksville Police Department (CPD) and Centerstone nonprofit behavioral health organization are new recipients of a Behavioral Health Mobile Crisis Team Partnerships Grant, competitively awarded by Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

The grant amounts to $750,000 annually, over four years. Clarksville has been awarded one of 17 such grants, nationally, and is the only location in Tennessee to receive it.

The purpose of this program is to establish new, or enhance existing, mobile crisis teams that serve children, youth, and adults experiencing mental health or substance use crises.

Its focus is the expansion of behavioral health crisis response capacity, and the development of structured partnerships that reduce reliance on law enforcement and emergency departments for behavioral health crises.

The goal of this grant is to expand mobile crisis co-responses services for children, youth and adults in Clarksville. This co-responder program would train providers in early identification and intervention, suicide prevention, and overdose recognition and response.

Once the program is established, upon request for a co-response mobile crisis team, a two-person team comprised of a Centerstone Response Specialist and available law enforcement officers will be dispatched to the scene.

Together this team will assess what resources are needed, both immediately and long-term. Within 24 to 72 hours, post-crisis contact will be initiated by a Centerstone Follow-Up Specialist to assess risk level, and update the individual’s safety plan.

Continued follow-up will be provided beyond the initial response, to ensure individuals served remain connected and engaged.

CPD has continued to lead the way in mental health awareness and advocacy across Tennessee. CPD is a two-time recipient of a highly-competitive Department of Justice Grant that brought two full-time mental wellness counselors on staff for employees and their families.

Centerstone Director of Crisis Services Kara Merriam says it is essential to ensure people experiencing a behavioral health crisis receive the right help at the right time.

“Co-response is about creating a safer, more effective, more compassionate system for individuals and families in crisis, law enforcement agents, and the Clarksville community,” Ms. Merriam said. “By combining law-enforcement’s focus on safety with Centerstone’s behavioral health expertise, we can de-escalate crises, reduce unnecessary arrests and emergency room visits, connect people with treatment and help police officers get back to serving the community.”

“September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, so notification of this award in the first week of September holds even greater significance,” said Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts. “Our community as a whole has a suicide rate of 17.9 per 100,000 people, compared to the national average of 14.7 per 100,000.

“We know there is a need for this evidence-based mobile crisis response team model. Mental health and wellness is something our City takes seriously, and this program is just another example of how we’re moving Clarksville forward,” Mayor Pitts said.

“We are grateful to partner with Centerstone to continue making a difference in our community. Anytime someone finds themselves in distress, we want them to know that help is available, and this grant opportunity allows us an additional resource to get those individuals in mental crisis some long-term help,” said Clarksville Police Chief Ty Burdine.

Centerstone media contact: Rance Burger, rance.burger@burrellcenter.com