Media Report
April 9, 2012Detroit Free Press story features WSU police officer Valerie Guerriero and others helping community members with mental illness
http://www.freep.com/article/20120408/OPINION02/204080467/Mental-care-shouldn-t-be-police-work?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE%7Cs
Wayne State University police report 10 percent of its calls to dispatchers stem from people experiencing a psychiatric crisis. Such calls can lead to transports to a crisis center or jail before the mentally ill person returns to the street. Valerie Guerriero, a Wayne State University police officer, and Donna Ronan, an outreach worker and case manager for Cass Community Social Services’ PATH program, which places mentally ill people in stable housing, have worked together to get community services to mentally ill people as part of Detroit Performance Improvement, one of five Bazelon Center pilot programs around the country. The local project involves Guerriero and four other Wayne State police officers riding with an outreach worker for three hours, two or three times a month. Guerriero, a 32-year veteran, enjoys working with people in ways police officers normally don’t. Photos of Guerriero are included.
Wayne State University police report 10 percent of its calls to dispatchers stem from people experiencing a psychiatric crisis. Such calls can lead to transports to a crisis center or jail before the mentally ill person returns to the street. Valerie Guerriero, a Wayne State University police officer, and Donna Ronan, an outreach worker and case manager for Cass Community Social Services’ PATH program, which places mentally ill people in stable housing, have worked together to get community services to mentally ill people as part of Detroit Performance Improvement, one of five Bazelon Center pilot programs around the country. The local project involves Guerriero and four other Wayne State police officers riding with an outreach worker for three hours, two or three times a month. Guerriero, a 32-year veteran, enjoys working with people in ways police officers normally don’t. Photos of Guerriero are included.
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- Detroit Free Press
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