Clear Creek County's co-responder team meets with residents while building back trust in the Colorado community

A lively chat with CCHAT team members filled the Frothy Cup in Idaho Springs Wednesday morning, which was exactly what the team members were hoping for. CCHAT stands for Clear Creek Health Assistance Team, and while the first team didn't last long in Clear Creek County, after a short hiatus a new team of dedicated employees are now responding alongside law enforcement (or sometimes by themselves) to crises in the Colorado mountain county.

"Some calls we can go to without an emergency services, so we're saving that resource," said Elizabeth Gallagher, Director of the CCHAT. "They stick with what they are good at and we stick with what we are good at, which is help those vulnerable populations in crisis."

While a co-responder program was in the works before the tragedy, the death of Christian Glass cemented the commitment of Clear Creek County to form and support additional resources for people having a mental crisis aside from calling in law enforcement. The event caught on camera showing deputies shooting the 22 year old after he called for help sowed mistrust in the community towards law enforcement. It's a reputation that's on the mend, that the CCHAT team is also looking to heal. 

"I get the difference between a CCHAT team response and law enforcement response," Laurie Beckel, community member and local activist said. "Even though I must say our new sheriff is terrific."

The sheriff's office held a very similar event in the very same coffee shop as Sheriff Matt Harris took office to help establish better communication between his office and the public. The CCHAT team is intended to work alongside that new effort, and take some of the responsibility off law enforcement's plate.

"I think society as a whole is asking for a different way to manage people in crisis than the traditional law enforcement only. And co-responses are the way," Gallagher said. "I think our society asks law enforcement to also be social workers, and instead of putting that burden on them where they don't have that specific training, you have the CCHAT team -- who are social workers and paramedics who are specifically trained in helping people through crisis -- getting them connected to resources and helping them beyond what a law enforcement officer could."

It's more than just a one-time meeting. While someone might be experiencing a mental break, what caused that to happen is also part of the mission for the CCHAT team. 

"Part of what our team does is follow-ups, right?" Gallagher explained. "So we may be able to get that person who is in crisis at a better place, in an hour, maybe 30 minutes, and then we are also going to follow up with them no matter what that disposition is, we are going to try to identify what caused that crisis in the first place and figure out how to solve it so they don't have to call 911 the next time. They will have other resources."

The team (which includes four employees right now, currently providing services six days a week but soon to be offering seven days a week) is grant funded, which helps the economically strapped Clear Creek County maintain the service. Even so, Clear Creek County Commissioners have publicly voiced their support for the program, stating it's a top priority moving forward, and alluding that funding will be found when the grants run out. 

"That gives me some reassurance that they are here to stay," Beckel said. "I always get concerned when programs are grant funded, where is the sustainability?"

"We need our whole community to be behind this and support this."

A part of making sure the resource is used is connections like Wednesday's coffee with a co-responder meet and greet. 

"They are a small community, but they don't necessarily know about CCHAT yet," Gallagher said. "So having an opportunity to meet those team members and talk to them about what we can do how to reach out, I think it helps destigmatize the need to call 911, it helps to destigmatizes that and shows them there is a resource available if they are in crisis."

Another event is being held Thursday morning in Georgetown at Mountain Mama's from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.