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New team-up of Utica police, Neighborhood Center to respond to mental health calls

Observer-Dispatch - 5/20/2021

A pilot partnership between the Utica Police Department and the Neighborhood Center's Mobile Crisis Assessment Team to respond to mental health calls has officially launched.

Officials made the announcement Thursday morning at Martin Luther King Jr. Dream Park on South Street in Utica. Utica Mayor Robert Palmieri noted the park has been the site of several past mental health calls.

"It's always been more reactive than proactive," he said of law enforcement's response to such calls.

Combined effort: Crisis Intervention Team will work to get people services they need to 'thrive in society'

The year-long pilot program, which officially began April 26, tasks a Utica police officer and an MCAT social worker with responding to mental health calls.

"They're going to be doing the field work that's kind of lacking in the mental health community," Utica police Chief Mark Williams said.

The program was sponsored by the Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties and M&T Bank Partners Trust Bank Charitable Fund.

Williams said he is hopeful funding will be made available to continue the program past the year, and eventually be expanded upon.

'Working towards the same goals'

Utica police Officer Marissa Vomer and licensed social worker Torie Hairston do not just respond to active calls; a good portion of their work is reviewing previous calls and following up with individuals to inform them of available services.

"So far, there's no such thing as a typical day for us," Hairston said.

But they have responded to high-intensity situations, as well. When out in the field, Hairston wears a bulletproof vest marking her as a civilian. Vomer also will enter a scene first.

Vomer, who has a bachelor's degree in psychology, became interested in serving in the program after assisting in research on other police departments' crisis intervention teams. Hairston said she was interested in working alongside an officer in a similar manner to her prior work at state prisons with corrections officers.

"We're working towards the same goals," Hairston said.

H. Rose Schneider is the public safety reporter for the Observer-Dispatch. For unlimited access to her stories, please subscribe or activate your digital account today. Email Rose at hschneider@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Observer-Dispatch: New team-up of Utica police, Neighborhood Center to respond to mental health calls

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