HomeMy WebLinkAboutC-8189-1 - Collaborative Partnership Agreement for Psychiatric Emergency Response Team (P.E.R.T.)aCOLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT
BETWEEN THE ORANGE COUNTY HEALTH CARE AGENCY
AND CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT
This document is intended to clarify the respective roles of the parties involved. It is not legally
binding and does not create any contractual obligations, but is intended to reflect a shared
understanding of the parties.
Psychiatric Emergency Response Team (P.E.R.T.) / Law Enforcement Collaborative
Partnership Description:
The Orange County Health Care Agency (HCA) / Newport Beach Police Department (NBPD)
Collaborative creates a combined mental health and law enforcement response team to assist mental
health clients in accessing behavioral health services. The HCA provides a mental health clinician to
partner with the NBPD in patrol field operations to facilitate a rapid response and provide thorough
follow up. This collaborative serves as an endeavor to bring behavioral health services to the front-
end of the law enforcement response.
The Mental Health Team will intervene in a myriad of situations, some of which may not involve the
chronically mentally ill. The key element of the collaboration is to respond and effectively resolve
those calls for service where law enforcement personnel interact with individuals, many of whom are
homeless and/or suffering from chronic mental illness.
P.E.R.T. Collaborative Mission:
It is the mission of the collaborative to provide a time sensitive, comprehensive and cooperative
response to assist clients in mental health crises and to provide follow-up to ensure access to
behavioral health programs.
P.E.R.T. Collaborative Activities:
• HCA will assign a mental health professional to the NBPD on a part or full time basis. This
will consist of pre -designated ride along days, while providing alternate days for follow-up
on calls.
• The NBPD will assign at least one officer to be the department's primary liaison to the
collaborative.
• HCA will assist NBPD to establish a standard reporting protocol for NBPD personnel when
a mental health client is identified.
• HCA will assist NBPD to efficiently identify individuals with a mental illness and/or
substance abuse problems.
• HCA and NBPD will provide rapid response to mental health clients.
• HCA will assess the needs of afflicted individuals, protect life and property, and make
community based resource referrals where appropriate and coordinate hospitalization when
this level of care is needed.
• HCA will document the contact and provide pertinent information for case follow-up.
• HCA and NBPD conduct research and evaluation of the collaborative and the method of law
enforcement response.
• HCA will provide on-going behavioral health related training to NBPD personnel.
P.E.R.T. Collaborative Goals:
• Provide mental health clients with the appropriate care and linkage to other resources as
needed in a dignified and respectful manner.
• Prevent unnecessary incarceration or hospitalization of mental health clients.
• Provide alternative care in a minimally restrictive environment.
• Provide crisis intervention and evaluation with compassion and care.
• Allow police officers to return to service sooner.
• Reduce the amount of repeat calls for service.
P.E.R.T. Collaborative Procedures:
NBPD Officers who are aware of individuals who potentially require behavioral health intervention
will notify the designated mental health personnel assigned to the department. When possible, the
officer is to facilitate an in person contact between the individual and mental health counterpart in
the following manner:
• Contact the Mental Health Team clinician for response to the scene.
• If PERT is not available for a response, the officer on scene may contact the Centralized
Assessment Team at 1-866-830-6011 for an assessment.
• When PERT is not available, NBPD may develop a system to get a referral to PERT for
follow-up at a later time.
General Provisions:
• HCA personnel will utilize best practices to assist individuals involved in these calls while
also attempting to reduce the need for future police intervention.
• HCA will complete a monthly report of referrals and forward the report to the Police
Department. The referral report should include the date of the referral, referring officer, and
disposition.
• HCA and NBPD intend to maintain control and responsibility for their respective employees
during the term of this collaborative partnership agreement. It is the intent of the
participants that this collaborative partnership agreement can be terminated at any time for
any reason by any of the participants.
Signatures:
Jon T.
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Date
Newport Beach Police Department
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Director Adult & Older Adult Behavioral Health
HCA/Behavioral Health Services
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
CITY ATrO � � OFFICE
Date:
Attest
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