The Cal State Fullerton Police Department and Counseling and Psychological Services, or CAPS, have earned a more than $549,000 Department of Justice grant to assist Titans experiencing a mental health crisis.
As the need for mental health and substance abuse assistance continues to grow, the departments this year launched a specialized Mobile Crisis Team that responds to mental health calls, while fostering trust and safety at Cal State Fullerton and within the surrounding community.
The team, consisting of a licensed CAPS mental health professional and an unarmed campus safety specialist, responds in tandem when dispatched and is trained to handle various mental health situations. The team’s goal is to assess the immediate needs of individuals, de-escalate if necessary, and ensure community members are provided with the appropriate resources to support student success.
“The additional funding will help break down barriers and stigmas surrounding mental health services and assist students when seeking mental health support. The MCT is another intervention our students can utilize in a crisis,” said Jaime Sheehan, director of CAPS.
The CSUF Police Department responded to over 150 incidents involving people experiencing a mental health crisis in 2023.
“This grant reinforces the importance of the collaboration between the CSUF Police Department and CAPS. It highlights our ability to send the most appropriate responder depending on the call for service related to mental health,” said grant writer CSUF Police Department Detective Adam Kashe.
The MCT provides a holistic and tiered response to Titans experiencing a crisis. The team is one tier in the CSUF Police Department’s holistic safety response system.
The grant will further support ongoing mental health and cultural bias training for police officers and dispatchers, community outreach, and up-to-date technology and information.
By forming the MCT, the CSUF Police Department and CAPS aim to seamlessly connect university resources to:
- Decrease reliance on law enforcement when responding to nonviolent behavioral health crisis incidents
- Reduce costs
- Decrease arrests and use of force by law enforcement
- Decrease repeat calls for service for the same individuals
- Increase speed and access to care for individuals experiencing a crisis
Learn more about the university’s holistic safety vision to support a safe, inclusive and welcoming campus environment at police.fullerton.edu.