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KPD: New co-responder program workers respond to dozens of calls in first months

The program aims to assist people facing mental illness or substance use struggles and launched in October.

KNOXVILLE, Tennessee — The Knoxville Police Department and McNabb Center announced officials are starting to see success with a new co-responder pilot program that launched in October.

The program aims to assist people facing mental illness or substance use struggles.

Since it launched, the co-responder team has responded to nearly 40 calls for service in the community. 

The program pairs a master's level behavioral health specialist alongside a specially-trained KPD officer in order to respond to emergency calls that present a behavioral health need.

By pairing the specialist with a KPD officer, KPD said the co-responder team is able to assess individuals' behavioral health needs in real time while in service and help connect those individuals with immediate access to services.

This fall, supported by a contract with the City of Knoxville, the McNabb Center hired a behavioral health specialist to respond to calls with KPD officer Thomas Clinton.

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