DPD's Co-Responder Unit Hopes to Get a Boost From Caring 4 Denver
"Tuesday, November 6, is fast approaching, and Denver residents are now voting on various state- and citywide ballot initiatives. One such initiative is Caring 4 Denver."
"Created by Representative Leslie Herod and endorsed by influential Coloradans like Wilma Webb and Cynthia Coffman, the initiative would raise Denver’s sales tax by .25 percent to bolster the city’s mental health resources and substance abuse treatment programs. If the initiative passes, 10 percent of the revenue would be earmarked for the Crisis Intervention Response Unit within the Denver Police Department."
"This already-existing co-responder unit pairs clinicians with police officers so that the department can intervene effectively in mental health crisis situations. With this earmarked money, the unit would expand its staff and hours of operation, and a more robust program would lessen 911 calls by frequent callers and could help individuals struggling with mental health issues get the help they need, according to proponents of the initiative."
