By Annette Pinder
What should you do if someone is behaving erratically at home or in public? What if they appear to be posting a danger to themselves or others?
Endeavor Health Services is currently the only behavioral health agency in the WNY region responding to such situations with a highly trained Behavioral Health Team (BHT) that is embedded within five area police departments— Buffalo, Cheektowaga, the NFTA, Town of Tonawanda, and West Seneca.
Eric Weigel, Director of Diversion Services and Jenna Colern, Program Manager of Endeavor recently appeared on WBBZ-TV, along with Officer Jennifer Szymborski of the Cheektowaga Police Department, to explain the program. “Instead of arresting someone or taking them to the hospital, we work as a team to get people the immediate and follow-up services they need,” said Weigel.
Colern, who has an MS and BA in Psychology, says, “My education and experience have prepared me for this role, and each day is different. We may get three calls or five calls. We run a history, determine if there have been prior hospitalizations or arrests, and brainstorm. When we get to the scene, we determine whether a person needs to be taken to Erie County Medical Center’s Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program (CPEP), where they may be hospitalized for anywhere from 24 to 48 hours or two weeks. Sometimes we take them to a drop-in clinic, or get them family in-home family support.”
The 10 police officers who comprise the Cheektowaga BHT team undergo four days of crisis intervention training, after which they can pursue an advanced 40-hour curriculum. They focus on de-escalation and communication. “When it comes to mental health, we slow things down and take the time to understand the reason for the person’s behavior. For example, someone diagnosed with schizophrenia may not taking their medication,” says Officer Szymborski.
Szymborski recalls a man who had been living alone in the woods for 10 years. “He didn’t want to leave without his belongings, so we brought everything to him. After we relocated him to an apartment, he contacted us a few months later to proudly report that he had gotten his first pair of eyeglasses. They come to know us, trust us, and seek us out if they’re having a hard time. Sometimes they need a ride to the hospital and fear taking an ambulance because of the expense. Sometimes they need food or clothing, which we often keep in our car. They have come to trust the police, not fear us.”
According to Colern, the program has seen a 70% successful diversion rate. Rather than people going to jail or an institution, they are getting the help, support, and follow-up they need. As a result, Weigel, who oversees the administrative aspects of the program, is doing his best to expand the program to other area police departments.
How can people in similar situations get help? Weigel says the first call should be 9-1-1. For information on the BHT program, email mybht@ehsny.org, or call 716-895-6700, ext. 4023. If you missed the television program, see it at https://youtu.be/iQCLd25Ld_I.
