Barnstable Town Council Approves Grant for Behavioral Health Clinician

BARNSTABLE – The Barnstable Town Council approved the renewal of a $50,000 grant to the police department on July 18.

The money is utilized for funding a part-time behavioral health clinician to work with the town’s Community Impact Unit.

Sergeant Jennifer Ellis explained the clinician is utilized, “so that we can address the needs of people in substance abuse and mental health crises throughout the town.”

“It also helps us with getting important training to our police officers and our dispatchers for deescalating situations with people in mental health crises,” Ellis said.

The clinician will be used to train officers, first responders, and dispatchers to work with the community on these important issues in a productive manner.

“It also gets the Community Crisis Intervention Team training to officers,” Ellis said, “teaching them how to work with community partners to get people assistance, all under the umbrella of a jail diversion program, so that we’re trying to get people the help that they need instead of always pushing them towards the criminal justice system.”