Archway helps Moultrie police examine mental health response

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MOULTRIE, Ga. — Graduate students of the University of Georgia Archway Partnership presented a Mental Health Response Project to the Moultrie Police Department Friday.

In recent years the Moultrie Police Department has been attempting to educate and train its officers in dealing with individuals who are in the midst of a mental health crisis. Moultrie Police Chief Sean Ladson has been at the forefront of this movement.

“We realized that these people who are in need aren’t getting the help they need,” said Ladson. “Previously our only option was to send them to jail and that’s just putting a Bandaid on the situation. Not addressing it.”

Ladson and other members of the MPD reached out to Sarah Adams, the Colquitt County liaison to the Archway Program, to help identify ways that other law enforcement entities are dealing with mental health issues.

“Our team had selected the project and found a model created by the Athens-Clarke County Police Department in Athens, Ga., would be a good fit for Moultrie,” stated Adams.

The ACCPD had developed a partnership with the Advantage Behavioral Health Clinic in Athens to bring a certified clinician in on certain cases to determine the needs for the individual in crisis. Student Project Lead John Knight stated that this type of partnership had seen much success and praise by the local community.

“After a situation was deemed safe by the officers of the ACCPD, an advantage representative would be brought by officers to the individual to evaluate them and see if they could get them the help they needed,” stated Knight.

About six months ago, the MPD had reached out to the Thomasville-based Georgia Pines Health Group to establish an “open dialogue” between the two groups, according to Ladson.

“We meet once a month to discuss our ways we can improve our aftercare after initial contact,” stated Ladson. “As we have moved forward they have been our resource whenever we encounter someone going through a mental health crisis.”

Officers can reach out to Georgia Pines whenever they feel a person is in need of treatment and are not deemed a threat to themselves or others. Ladson hopes this partnership will continue and grow.

“We’d like to have something similar to what they have in Athens. The welfare for these individuals are more important than anything else. The sooner we can get them treatment the safer the situation for themselves and others will be,” said Ladson.

Along with the mental health partnership, Knight stated that keeping records for these situations is something that can help police departments understand if the situation is getting better or worse.

“Keeping accurate statistics on these situations is something that is very important. The numbers are what is going to tell the departments what their focus needs to be and where they could improve,” said Knight.

Currently the City of Moultrie is attempting to open a Georgia Pines facility near the MPD. City Manager Pete Dillard stated that he will be applying for a building grant in July.

“The need for these types of programs and facilities is great,” said Dillard.

The next meeting between the MPD and Georgia Pines will be taking place on May 17. If you have any questions regarding the program, you can contact the MPD at 229-985-3131.