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OAKLAND COUNTY, MI (October 30, 2024) – On Tuesday, October 29, 2024, the Royal Oak, Ferndale, Hazel Park, and Madison Heights Police Departments hosted a Press Conference at the Royal Oak Police Department to announce a partnership with Oakland Community Health Network (OCHN).
The Press Conference was held to announce the expansion of OCHN’s Co-Response Community Outreach (CoRe) program to the Ferndale, Royal Oak, Madison Heights, and Hazel Park communities. The CoRe initiative embeds licensed clinicians with local law enforcement to co-respond to calls identified as requiring mental health and/or substance use related support. The Press Conference was live streamed and can be retroactively viewed here.
Two Co-Responder clinicians have received comprehensive training tailored to the specific needs of law enforcement and have been embedded into the Ferndale, Royal Oak, Madison Heights, and Hazel Park Police Departments. This initiative highlights law enforcement's commitment to serving their communities in an empathetic and responsive manner.
OCHN’s CoRe program began in August of 2021, and since then, 4,578 referrals from law enforcement have been made. Of that, 22% of individuals were voluntarily transported to a crisis center or emergency department, 49% remained in their community, and only 3% resulted in arrests.
CoRe is a part of OCHN’s Justice Initiatives Department, which is dedicated to interacting and engaging with individuals at each point along the justice system to divert them to treatment, resources, and support when appropriate. The CoRe expansion to these communities was made possible thanks to $1 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding allocated by the Oakland County Board of Commissioners.
For more information on the partnership, please view the attached CoRe Media Kit. If you or someone you know needs immediate assistance, call the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (24/7) at 988. To reach OCHN’s Access line, call 248-464-6363. To learn more about:
*See CoRe Media Kit for Media Inquiries
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