Bremerton Police Department Behavioral Health Navigators collaborate with Bremerton police officers to co-respond to calls

Program description

Bremerton Police Department Behavioral Health Navigators collaborate with Bremerton police officers to co-respond to calls that involve individuals experiencing suicide ideation, mental or behavioral health, child protective services, adult protective services, or complex health issues. The Navigators act as a community liaison to connect their clients to community resources that meet their individual needs. Navigators work closely with partners to avoid duplication of services and ensure individual needs are met timely easily and compassionately. Key partners in this work include:

• Bremerton Fire Department

• Kitsap Mental Health Services

• Peninsula Community Health Services

• Kitsap Community Resources

• St. Michael Medical Center

• Local R.E.A.L. Teams

Read more in Olympic Community of Health's Connecting Community Members to Care report.

Populations of emphasis 

Anyone in need of resources with emphasis on people experiencing:

• behavioral health

• complex health

• and/or child protective services related call

How it works

1. Bremerton police officers co-respond with navigators on calls involving individuals experiencing behavioral health, complex health, child protective services, and/or adult protective services. 

2. Once the scene is secured, navigator works with client to identify needs.

3. Navigator connects client with appropriate resources.

4. If navigator is not available to co-respond, police officers send internal referral and navigator follows up with individuals.  

Data

• 506 referrals to Navigators in 2022

• 558 individuals contacted by Navigators in 2022

• Almost 75% of individuals contacted accepted help
  

Source: Bremerton Police Department 2022 Annual Report 

Tips for success

1. Clearly define what you want your program to accomplish and the parameters of the program.   

2. Hire the right people for the job

3. Identify what data is important to demonstrate the value of your program and way to track and report

Funding

Braided funding from multiple sources including:

• Kitsap County 1/10th

• WA Association of Cities Grant administered through the City of Poulsbo

• Central Kitsap Fire Department operational support including vehicles, office space, employee time/benefits, administrative support

Contact

Email Bremerton Police Department Sergeant Tim Garrity

Connecting Community Members to Care Report

OCH is honored to share the success of the Bremerton Police Department Behavioral Health Navigator Program and is inspired by their continuing commitment to timely, compassionate care that meets individual needs. Read more about this and other successes in OCH's Connecting Community Members to Care report.