May 12, 2009

In an effort to break the all-too-common cycle of the mentally ill ending up on the street fending for themselves, Westchester County is joining with Yonkers to try a new approach in the Getty Square area.

A social worker from the county’s Department of Community Mental Health is now riding and walking the streets along with police officers in the 4th precinct, letting residents know they’re available and looking for anyone who might be in need of mental health services. By consistently working the same area, this “crisis intervention team” is able to get to know people and de-escalate problem situations before they become violent or turn into a crisis.

A similar county program has been helping White Plains residents since 2006, and County Executive Andy Spano expects the Yonkers program to be just as successful – and perhaps called upon even more often.

“When it comes to mental illness, people are too often just taken to a hospital or arrested and then put back out on the street – never getting the treatment they need,” Spano said. “This program follows a different philosophy - intervene before someone has a crisis and make sure they get the help they need. The streets will be safer and we’ll be helping more people with mental health issues.”

Spano noted that this is a good example of the special services the county is able to provide municipalities. By sharing the expertise of the Dept. of Community Mental Health, the county helps local communities ensure public safety without having to raise taxes.

Yonkers Mayor Phil Amicone, who recognized a need for more mental health services in the downtown area, asked the county for assistance. He noted an influx of homeless or emotionally disturbed people who present a significant challenge to the city’s revitalization efforts as well as pose a public safety threat to merchants, shoppers and to themselves.

 “Clearly, this is an issue that required cooperative action from the county and the city and we have done that,” Amicone said.  “This program will not only help Yonkers to promote a friendlier business climate in the downtown, but will also provide homeless people with direct access to the services they need.” 

Amicone added that the program ensures public safety during peak business hours and serves as a point of contact between the police department and local business owners.
All signs are that the program has the potential to make a significant difference, Spano said. With only four such programs in the state (and two of those in Westchester), he noted that the county hopes to become a role model community for others in the state dealing with the same issues.

Two officers are assigned full time in the Getty Square area and patrol with the help of a full-time mental health worker. They get to know the people who are homeless so they can see what they might need, and they also respond to calls from local merchants and business owners throughout the downtown.

Instead of arresting a homeless person or taking them to a hospital, this “crisis intervention team” tries to recognize any potential problems before they happen and encourage people to get the services they need. For example, if someone needs a substance abuse program or housing or food assistance, the social worker will assist or make a referral and then follow up to make sure they got what they needed.

Police officers will be trained by the Department of Community Mental Health so they can better respond to calls involving individuals with a mental illness and manage any crises. They will also improve their understanding and accessibility of the public mental health system.

By reducing the likelihood of a confrontation with an emotionally disturbed person, this program should also reduce the risk of injury to police officers.

In White Plains, where the program has been operating for three years, the number of persons arrested for resisting arrest dropped to 1 from 6 during the first year. Similarly in the first year, mental health referrals nearly doubled going from 126 clients referred to 225 referred.