Millions of people live with various types of behavioral health issues but identifying and treating them can be a challenge; particularly if poverty, homelessness, or drug abuse are also present. In response, a coalition of Cape Cod health care providers and first responders created the Behavioral Health Summit- an annual gathering to discuss ways to better address the behavioral health needs of the Cape community. This year’s summit convenes tomorrow and the focus is building bridges to recovery. Joining Mindy Todd in The Point studio to discuss the summit are these guests: Ron Holmes, Co-Chair of the Behavioral Health Provider Coalition of Cape Cod & the Islands and Co-Chair of the Cape & Islands Suicide Prevention Coalition, and Cheryl Bartlett, Executive Director of the Cape Cod Regional Substance Abuse Prevention Initiative. We then look at Barnstable Police Department’s Community Impact Unit which is designed to divert persons in mental health crisis away from the Criminal justice System and towards appropriate treatment. Officers in this unit undergo a mental health first aid class, and a part time clinical psychologist goes on patrol with the officers. Our guest for this portion of the program is Jeannie Challies, a sergeant in the Barnstable Police Department who serves on the force’s Community Impact Unit.
