Recognizing the vital importance of addressing mental health issues head-on, the Milton Fire and Police departments have partnered to launch a new unit to give community members valuable care, support, and resources.

The Co-Response Mental Health Unit is an appointment- and referral-based program in which specially trained firefighters and officers provide assistance to those who have had past mental health incidents. The idea is that these regular follow-ups will help the patient progress toward better mental health – a development that should help them and their families while saving time, money, and potentially lives in the long run.

People can make an appointment for themselves or their loved one through this link: https://ee-eu.kobotoolbox.org/x/sOvVC4r3.

That’s the same webpage where people can sign-up for regular, non-mental health-related in-home visits through Milton Fire CARES, that department’s unique preventative health-focused program.

A member of the Fire CARES team, which consists of full-time paramedic Derek Hofmann and four part-time paramedics, will visit the patient along with a specially trained Milton Police officer. Police officers involved all completed the 5-day, 40-hour Georgia Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training course to learn how to assist those with mental illness, substance abuse issues, developmental disorders, and other brain disorders.

In addition to what’s described above, this new unit will support people with a history of overdoses as well as those who have made suicide attempts or threats. Milton’s Police and Fire departments determine on a case-by-case basis if someone is a sensible fit for this program.

Officers and firefighters currently plan to visit patients once a month until their services are no longer beneficial. One of their main purposes is to direct people to additional useful resources, including other medical providers.

This unit – which was launched without any additional funding – aligns with strategic goals articulated by both Milton’s Police and Fire departments. It comes at a time when more and more agencies nationwide are focusing on mental health challenges in the community, knowing that addressing them proactively and regularly can be helpful in myriad ways.

If you have questions about this program, email Milton Fire CARES Coordinator Derek Hofmann at derek.hofmann@miltonga.gov or Milton Police Community Outreach Officer Logan Pacheco at logan.pacheco@miltonga.gov. And for more valuable information generally on mental health, check out the City's special mental wellness webpage at www.miltonga.gov/MentalWellness.