NEW ORLEANS — A new program in New Orleans aims to better help people having a mental health crisis while freeing up police officers to respond to violent crimes.
New Orleans’ Alternative Dispatch Pilot Program gives 911 dispatchers the option to bring a mental health counselor into the loop on an emergency call to better help the caller.
“The concept is simple,” New Orleans Health Director Dr. Jennifer Avegno said. “When your house is on fire, you call 911 and get the fire department. When there is a violent incident, you get our fine New Orleans Police Department. If you’re having a heart attack, you want EMS. What we don’t have, and where the emergency system falls apart, is when it’s an emergency outside those specific types.”
Now, when someone calls 911, Metropolitan human services can be brought onto the call and help determine the response.
“Deploying our other agencies simply does not meet the needs of that person or their family,” Dr. Avegno said. “And in some cases can actually make things worse.”
The program is still in its pilot stage but could go state-wide in the future. Dispatchers received 38 calls this past week that were redirected to a trained mental health counselor.
City leaders hope the new program will better serve the community and allows NOPD officers to focus on stopping violent crime in New Orleans. However, NOPD officers will still be trained in crisis intervention.
“We remain committed to this training,” Chief Shaun Ferguson said. “We are excited. We will continue to work with our public safety partners.”
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