Waukesha sheriff: Mental health professional position added
Waukesha County Sheriff's Department
WAUKESHA COUNTY, Wis. - Waukesha County Sheriff Eric Severson, in collaboration with the Waukesha County Health & Human Services Department, has developed a pilot program for embedding a full-time mental health professional within the Waukesha County Sheriff's Office.
This pilot program will begin Monday, Nov. 8.
According to a press release from the Waukesha County Sheriff's Office, mental health-related issues and contacts with law enforcement continue to rise dramatically, both locally and nationally. In 2020, there were 691 mental health-related calls that involved Waukesha County Sheriff's deputies and crisis services – compared to 236 in 2018.
The sheriff's office said in a press release that this grant-funded position was developed and created to accommodate the changing mental health needs facing law enforcement and the Waukesha County community as a whole.
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This pilot program does not change the existing 24/7 mental health response service that Waukesha County Health & Human Services Department provides.
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