Comments on: ECSO Expanding Mental Health Co-Responder Unit Program Using State Grant http://www.northescambia.com/2023/10/ecso-expanding-mental-health-co-responder-unit-program-using-state-grant Local News for Molino, Bratt, McDavid, Century, Walnut Hill, Cantonment Tue, 07 Apr 2026 16:50:39 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Melissa Pino http://www.northescambia.com/2023/10/ecso-expanding-mental-health-co-responder-unit-program-using-state-grant/comment-page-1#comment-525857 Melissa Pino Fri, 06 Oct 2023 12:19:26 +0000 http://www.northescambia.com/?p=527106#comment-525857 Thank you for reporting on this. It's the type of thing that doesn't draw a lot of public attention even when it gets coverage, but this initiative is huge, and the type of approach is what has been needed for *such* a long time. Hats off to Sheriff Simmons for being one of two agencies in the state to get this rolling. It's also a chance for Lakeview to finally have some material impact out in the field. Fingers crossed hard this pays a tons of dividends to the community and to people in crisis who need mental health support. Our law enforcement has been put in the place of front-line mental health scenarios for far too long, with few tools other than Baker Acting. This could really be a game changer. Thank you for reporting on this. It’s the type of thing that doesn’t draw a lot of public attention even when it gets coverage, but this initiative is huge, and the type of approach is what has been needed for *such* a long time.

Hats off to Sheriff Simmons for being one of two agencies in the state to get this rolling. It’s also a chance for Lakeview to finally have some material impact out in the field.

Fingers crossed hard this pays a tons of dividends to the community and to people in crisis who need mental health support. Our law enforcement has been put in the place of front-line mental health scenarios for far too long, with few tools other than Baker Acting. This could really be a game changer.

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