Auburn faculty support Opelika Police Department’s strides in crisis intervention

The Opelika Police Department hosted a SIM workshop in April, which invited representatives from East Alabama social services to identify gaps in service and workshop potential solutions.

East Alabama residents will soon experience more comprehensive social services, thanks to the work of the Opelika Police Department’s crisis intervention efforts with collaborative support from Auburn University.

OPD Officer Chase Higgins coordinates and trains the East Alabama Crisis Intervention Team. Through partnerships with community mental health services and resources such as the Auburn University Psychological Services Center, OPD’s crisis intervention team set a standard for law enforcement across East Alabama to divert individuals experiencing mental health or substance use crises away from the criminal justice system and into treatment programs.

https://cla.auburn.edu/news/articles/auburn-faculty-support-opd-crisis-team/