On April 15th , our very own Captain Stephen Filak joined Trish Tuber, Access’s Acute Behavioral Health Regional Director, and Tara McDonald, Acting Commissioner, Ulster County Department of Mental Health, in presenting “Police and Mobile Mental Health Co-Response — Saving Lives Together” at NatCon 22 in Washington, DC.   NatCon (National Conference on Mental Well-Being) is the largest conference in the nation in mental health and substance use treatment.

In their presentation, the team described Ulster County's 5-year evolution to collaborate and coordinate efforts, including embedding a clinician to triage 9-1-1 calls for mental health issues. Together, the combined law enforcement/mental health co-response model was able to divert 98% of mental health-related calls from jail or hospitalization, connecting the person to a safety plan and treatment. They have led the way in transforming the crisis response system to meet the changing needs of the community.