CSUPD, UCHealth and Health Network co-responder program off to a positive start

Contact for reporters:
Jennifer Dimas
(970) 988-4265
jennifer.dimas@colostate.edu

When Colorado State University police officers responded to calls in mid-September, they weren’t alone. A behavioral health expert responded with them, launching a university police embedded co-responder program, among the very first of its kind at a higher education institution in the nation.

Marking its first month in practice, the program – called the Community Support Program – is a partnership among CSU’s police department and Health Network and UCHealth. It embeds a behavioral health expert with CSU police officers who respond together to calls that may have a behavioral health component.

While co-responder programs are becoming more common across the United States, when CSU began working with community partners to create its program, there were no universities with a practicing program. Less than a handful are currently known to the CSU partnership as active – and reaching college-aged populations has tremendous opportunity for community health and safety concerns.

‘This program is innovative’

“This program is innovative; it provides a collaborative approach as a response to calls for service and offers another strategy to increase university community safety,” said Francesca Reynaert, a UCHealth behavioral health clinician who was recently hired and trained as the CSU co-responder. “The additional, interconnected support that can be offered to young adults through a co-responder program at a university is among the most impactful opportunities for a co-responder program. A co-responder can make a significant difference by offering an alternative perspective and behavioral health expertise.”

“I was drawn to this role because of the ability to work with university students who are experiencing tremendous growth and change at a key time in their lives. I want to work with young adults to tie them to appropriate support during this time of change.”

Reynaert is a licensed clinical social worker who is working on earning a licensed addiction counselor credential. She also speaks three languages – English, Spanish and Flemish (Dutch).

More than one in three high school students experience persistent sadness or hopelessness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That means that as college students, these young adults must find ways to manage their well-being for often the first time away from close family and friends and after leaving their established relationships with teachers, coaches and mentors.

College-aged years are also a time when young adults continue to form behaviors and habits – positive or negative – that persist through adulthood. Changing the trajectory of a young adult’s mental health by connecting them to specialized resources such as therapists and medication, if needed, can have a significant, positive impact on the rest of their lives.

“We at CSUPD recognize that there are complex dynamics for individuals who experience a mental health crisis,” said Jay Callaghan, CSUPD chief. “While our officers are trained in crisis response and interact regularly with individuals of all ages who experience mental health challenges, we understand that those situations may not warrant a traditional police response, and that response may not be what the individual wants. It’s imperative that CSUPD adapt to the needs of our community. This partnership with UCHealth speaks to our willingness to listen to the needs of our students, faculty and staff and to meet those needs with improved service during a difficult time.”

Expanding opportunities to help others

Reynaert, in particular, is passionate about communication and how both CSU and Fort Collins police agencies offering co-responder programs in partnership with UCHealth greatly expands opportunities to help others.

The CSU Community Support Program already works closely with the co-responder program running through Fort Collins Police Services. Reynaert and FCPS co-responders all work for UCHealth within one unit. This interconnectedness allows them to share information with each other about individuals they’ve helped while responding to calls.

For example, if FCPS and their co-responder help a CSU student while they are off campus, Reynaert can follow up with that person later and ensure they know where to get the help they need. This can be particularly beneficial to students, many of whom seek all their medical and counseling care through the university’s student health center.

It’s those relationships that are a focus during these first few months as Reynaert and CSUPD officers who she works with learn from each other. She notes CSUPD officers are willing and open to learning skills in addition to those they may have gained through specialized mental health and crisis training, and to also teach her about the university and how it helps its community members. Reynaert is responding with police to a handful of calls every day.

While the majority of calls Reynaert will respond to will likely involve students due to students living on campus, the Community Support Program co-responder is dedicated to helping anyone who CSUPD responds to, including faculty, staff and visitors.

UCHealth and CSU will also request that the program be professionally evaluated by an outside expert who will assess outcomes and impact. This will help ensure that the program is functioning well and will contribute to information about co-responder program design, successes and lessons learned for other universities and law enforcement agencies.

“My goal with this program is to be helpful,” she said. “I want to be a helpful resource for CSUPD, and I want to be helpful to those in crisis. Through de-escalation, on-scene assessment, connection to resources, and appropriate follow up, I hope this role will positively impact students, faculty, and staff not only in the moment but also down the road.”