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Bloomington Police add wellness officer, therapists and community brain‑health program to expand mental‑health response
Summary
The Bloomington Police Department introduced a first‑of‑its‑kind wellness officer for Minnesota and a Community Brain Health Services Program that will provide short‑term, in‑home therapy and support a diversion program.
The Bloomington City Council on Monday welcomed new Bloomington Police Department staff and praised a newly formed wellness and behavioral‑health program that the department says will expand mental‑health support and diversion options for people officers encounter.
Chief Booker Hodges introduced four newly sworn officers and then presented the department’s new wellness staff: Amos Jay Olivares, the department’s wellness officer; therapists Janet Yates and Luke Campbell; and graduate intern Tory Tanucci. Hodges described the wellness officer position as “a first of a kind position in the state of Minnesota” intended to help the department live its shared values and coordinate wellness and accountability work.
The nut graf: The Bloomington Community Brain Health Services Program will provide eight weeks of free in‑home therapy to people officers contact and is expected to support the department’s planned diversion program. Program supervisors told the council they have worked with the department to build the model and are preparing to launch diversion services.
Amos Jay Olivares, introduced at the meeting, said he has spent two decades working with communities and institutions and that he is “very honored to share the night with these 4 great men and look forward to working with our and women” in the department. Therapist Janet Yates described the program as “the Bloomington Community Brain Health Services Program” and said the team was “very proud of and very excited to be able to do this and appreciate your support.”
Luke Campbell, the other clinical supervisor, said the work had been “incredibly rewarding.” The program includes supervised graduate interns; intern Tory Tanucci told the council she is completing a master’s degree at Saint Mary’s University and that the internship “has been a really great experience” helping community members.
Chief Hodges said the team helped develop the program “as we fly it” and described award recognition the program has already received. Staff said the effort will consolidate wellness programming and provide continuity and accountability for the police department’s stated values of respect, compassion and honest service.
Why it matters: Police‑led behavioral‑health teams and wellness liaisons are one approach cities are using to provide short‑term mental‑health care, reduce unnecessary arrests and expand diversion alternatives. Bloomington’s new wellness officer and in‑home therapy model aim to bridge crisis response and longer‑term behavioral‑health treatment by connecting people to short‑term therapy and community services.
Next steps: Chief Hodges said the department is “almost ready to launch our diversion program” and that therapists will supervise services and that the city will continue training and fielding the team.
