Lynchburg, Virginia, located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains along the banks of the James River, with a population of 79,009 is the 11th most populous city in Virginia.
Lynchburg Police Department (LPD) proposes to implement an Officer/Mental Health Clinician Co-Response program in partnership with their local community services board, Horizon Behavioral Health, with a proximal goal of responding to individuals in a mental health crisis. LPD plans to use cross-sector community collaboration to provide a response to individuals in crisis to proactively address public safety and promote creative approaches to crime prevention and safe communities. This program aims to divert individuals with mental health needs away from the criminal justice system toward needed care. Cohort 2023.
Program Goals
- Implement an Officer/Mental Health Clinician Co-Response program to respond to individuals in a mental health crisis
- Reduce the number of emergency custody orders (ECOs), temporary detention orders (TDOs), and inpatient psychiatric hospitalizations
- Divert individuals with mental health needs away from the criminal justice system towards necessary care through cross-sector community collaboration Top of Form
Key Partnership Organizations
Top of Form
The Lynchburg Police Department | Horizon Behavioral Health
Learn More
Data Action Resource Team | Horizon Behavioral Health (horizonbh.org)
“With the support of grant funding approved by Lynchburg City Council, this program will afford us the opportunity and resources to deploy a highly capable team of trained professionals to effectively respond to mental health crisis situations and enhance the safety of all citizens served.” (LPD website, Feb 27, 2024)
Ryan Zuidema
Lynchburg Police Chief
“This collaborative partnership will allow us to leverage shared resources to better serve our community by reducing hospitalizations and increasing access to care for individuals experiencing a behavioral health crisis.” (LPD website, Feb 27, 2024)
Melissa Lucy
Horizon CEO