The Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s station, in partnership with the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, rolled out the “Mental Evaluation Team” on Wednesday, July 15, 2015.
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The Mental Evaluation Team, or MET, was in response to an increase locally in mental health issues, attempted suicides and domestic violence-related law enforcement calls.
The teams are staffed by specially-trained Sheriff’s deputies and mental health clinicians that will provide seven day a week coverage to respond to specific mental health-related calls in the Santa Clarita Valley, according to officials.
“Our goal is to provide necessary evaluation, service referrals and transportation as the situations dictates,” explains Captain Roosevelt Johnson of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station. “The Mental Evaluation Team will be called out by the responding deputy for those calls where we have attempted suicides, family violence and mental illness-related issues. The teams are trained on how to best respond to these situations and will allow our deputies to respond to other calls for service.”
The Santa Clarita Valley has already experienced a handful of domestic violence and family-violence related homicides this year, according to officials.
The City of Santa Clarita, Los Angeles County and the Sheriff’s department are working with local non-profit agencies in the Santa Clarita Valley to best respond to these situations.
Professionals from the Domestic Violence Center regularly work hand in hand with the SCV Sheriff’s station personnel to assure deputies are informed about resources and equipped with printed brochures about the Center’s services to distribute as needed in the field.
The Domestic Violence Center of the SCV provides education, outreach and services to victims of domestic violence.
The Child and Family Center and the Santa Clarita Valley Mental Health Center, operated by the County of Los Angeles Department of Mental Health, provide services for children, families and adults in the Santa Clarita Valley.
These agencies work directly with the Sheriff’s department for evaluation and services relating to issues concerning mental health.
The agencies will continue to work together to increase education and outreach to the community, as well as to provide services as needed.
“There are things people can do that may help prevent crimes related to domestic and family violence from happening,” said Johnson. “Reporting suspicions of abuse, contacting local agencies for help as needed, and modeling good behavior will go a long way towards preventing tragedies.”
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