MILLCREEK & MENTAL HEALTH
A CONVERSATION WITH THE CRISIS CLINICIAN ASSISTING THE MPD
BACKGROUND
The MPD has been awarded a grant to pay for the services of UPMC Western Behavioral Health at Safe Harbor to staff a Crisis Clinician to help deescalate and provide access to behavioral health resources . Evan Daley is out on calls with officers and has been an invaluable asset to the team . He is joined by the Program Director of Crisis Services from UPMC , Stacey .
WHY DID YOU GET INVOLVED IN MENTAL HEALTH CARE ?
EVAN - “ Because I have had a passion . I know when I was younger I had a strong lack of knowledge around mental health . As I got older and I started to learn more about it , I realized that a lot of other people have that same lack of knowledge . So I wanted to be one of those people that could advocate for individuals and share knowledge ”
HOW DO YOU VIEW MENTAL HEALTH IN MILLCREEK ?
Evan , UPMC Crisis Clinician working in the MPD . illcreek
MILLCREEK TOWNSHIP POLICE DEPARTMENT NEWS
EVAN - “ I think just mental health in general has a strong stigma behind it , and that causes a lot of people to have concerns as to whether or not they want to open up about it or seek treatment . I think it really hinders our progression towards treatment options and getting people the help they might need ”
DO YOU THINK THERE IS A RISE IN MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES ?
EVAN - “ Yeah , we definitely have been seeing an increase in particular with youth as well . I know even from a crisis standpoint we saw quite a spike in calls about young people who are being impacted ”
DO YOU THINK COVID 19 HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH THAT RISE ?
STACEY - “ Isolation has had a big impact on all age groups related to Covid , but especially children . For example , through Crisis Services , we had seen an increase from 564 visits for children in 2019 , 596 visits in 2020 – with a jump to 1047 in 2021 . This number has continued to grow since : 1151 visits in 2022 and 1403 in 2023 . Quite a bit of growth in children having Crisis contact over the past 4 years !”
WHAT IS YOUR APPROACH TO DEESCALATING A SITUATION ?
EVAN - “ Trying to make some kind of connection with an individual , figure out , what kind of response they need in order to bring the emotions down , whether that be connecting on a topic of interest or , you know , maybe something as simple as a complement . With an emotional connection they ' re not as guarded or protective . They ' re able to kind of open up and bring the elevated level back down to a baseline ”
HOW DOES THE MPD VIEW MENTAL HEALTH ?
EVAN - “ I think that our officers take mental health very seriously . It typically depending on what it is , but if there is a criminal charge , they value treatment first .”
WHAT HAVE BEEN THE PROGRAM RESULTS SO FAR ?
EVAN - “ The officers tell me all the time that they feel that it ' s easier having me here . They know that I ' m available strictly for the township . I ' ve seen 400 individuals since mid-Feb . 2023 ”
STACEY - “ Millcreek has really been innovative with this program which will continue to be such a great resource to its residents .”
22 MILLCREEK
-Evan D .
If you or a loved one are experiencing a mental health crisis call UPMC Crisis Services at 814-456-2014 or 988 for help today .
OUR OFFICERS TAKE MENTAL HEALTH VERY SERIOUSLY ... IF THERE IS A CRIMINAL CHARGE , THEY VALUE TREATMENT FIRST . -EVAN DALEY