Dallas Police, Dallas Fire-Rescue Share $1.5M Grant
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DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Dallas Fire-Rescue and Dallas Police have received up to $1.5 million in grant money over the next three years to "enhance the emergency response to calls involving behavioral health emergencies" in the city, according to a news release from the departments.
With the W. W. Caruth, Jr. Foundation at Communities Foundation of Texas grant, the program will partner specially trained and equipped paramedics, police officers and mental health experts who will respond as a coordinated team to safely and effectively manage patients experiencing behavioral emergencies.
Historically, paramedics and police officers have had limited tools available to help them manage patients experiencing behavioral health emergencies, according to the news release from Dallas Police and Dallas Fire-Rescue.
The departments said this grant could dramatically change the response to these patients while also decreasing the need to utilize other scarce EMS, police and hospital emergency department services throughout the city.
The pilot program is expected to begin in early 2017.
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