PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — State Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth will lead a news conference Friday afternoon to highlight local efforts to get a novel program combining police and service service providers off the ground.
The Peoria Democrat will be joined by Peoria Police Chief Eric Echevarria and Peoria City/County Health Department Public Health Administrator Monica Hendrickson as well as other civic leaders during the 1 p.m. event at the Peoria Police Station, 600 SW Adams St.
Gordon-Booth led the effort to obtain $3 million in state funding for the program which will be joined by three other communities who will pilot the idea.
“As mental health needs in our community have grown, oftentimes, the brunt of the response falls upon our law enforcement peers,” Hendrickson said. “The co-response program supports utilizing training and appropriate resources to assist community members, both during a crisis and non-critical periods. The goal is to provide individuals with the best support and helping build a thriving and healthy Peoria.”
The co-responder program aims to support behavioral health efforts while coordinating social services with violence survivors – including trauma-informed crisis intervention, assistance with finding safe housing, victim advocacy and counseling.
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August 2, 2023 at 05:33PM
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