INDIANAPOLIS — Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett joined EMS providers, police and Eskenazi Health to announce an integrated mental health team composed of a police officer, a paramedic and a licensed clinician.
FOX59 reported that the Mobile Crisis Assistance Team, or MCAT, is a 24/7 response to crises such as behavioral health, substance abuse, medical and legal with the use of police, paramedic and licensed clinician knowledge.
“In response to an unprecedented epidemic we had no choice but to be nimble, to be creative, to be innovative in our approach,” Hogsett said.
The pilot program was created to improve treatment and divert individuals from arrest by giving them access to social services.
It allows the time and the expertise to take those people who are at their most vulnerable and give them hope, give them direction and give them counsel … rather than maybe solving something for the day, hopefully we’re solving something for the rest of their life,” Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Chief Bryan Roach said.
