LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Police in Louisville may not be the only responders to 911 calls under a new initiative by local universities and social services.
In a release, Spalding University and the University of Louisville said Thursday that their researchers are creating a plan for a "community-centered alternative response model." A pilot program could launch next year that would allow mental health and social service professionals to respond to calls involving mental illness.
Researchers said work on the program stems from concerns about how law enforcement engages with people experiencing a behavioral health crisis. It comes at a time when there is more scrutiny on policing in many areas of the community.
Diversion Options: Voice and Empowerment (DOVE) is a collaboration between Spalding, UofL, Seven Counties Services and the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services’ Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities. The DOVE delegates will come up with a model that reduces the chance that people with behavioral or mental health conditions could face criminal charges and would be linked to agencies that could help them instead.
The project is looking at how similar programs have been developed in other cities. Community forums will also get input from city leaders and advocate organizations to ensure the model fits the current climate in Louisville. A 20-person advisory board will also be formed to ensure accountability and transparency.
The Spalding University School of Social Work will organize focus groups and a community survey, as the DOVE program gets underway.
A report will be presented this summer to Louisville Metro government, which is helping fund the project with money earmarked for reimagining public safety. Money from a federal jail diversion grant is also supporting the project.
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