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Commissioners back foundation-funded crisis intervention team and approve vehicle purchases
Summary
Decatur County commissioners supported a foundation grant to fund a countywide Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) and approved purchasing vehicles paid for with foundation funds to start the program.
The Decatur County Board of Commissioners on Jan. 9 heard a presentation on a proposed countywide Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) and approved purchase of vehicles the county will title and commission for the program.
Mike (last name given in meeting as Mike Hagelson) and Sheriff Meyer described the CIT as a community-wide program to improve responses to incidents with mental-health and substance-use components. Sheriff Meyer said the model reduces arrests and use-of-force incidents by linking people to appropriate health services and follow-up care rather than defaulting to jail or emergency rooms.
County staff said the program is backed by a foundation grant totaling $5,000,000 (meeting statements varied in wording but the funder and total were discussed as $5 million with $1 million on hand now and the remainder to follow in June). Commissioners and presenters said the grant would be front-loaded with equipment and personnel and run for several years; the long-term goal is to transition positions into partner agencies’ operating budgets if results justify continued funding.
Commissioners gave the sheriff permission to purchase three vehicles with foundation funds for program startup. At the meeting, the price presented for each vehicle was listed in discussion as $56,076.50 per vehicle (meeting audio and transcript formatting varied); commissioners said foundation funds will pay the purchases and the county will later incorporate vehicles into its fleet rotation. The board approved the motion to move forward with vehicle purchases by voice vote.
Sheriff Meyer and staff said a hiring process is already underway, with interviews and job postings in progress and a program target to be operational in mid to late February. County and city partners, including police departments and health services, were described as collaborators; presenters noted facilities and transportation will be part of the program design and follow-up interventions will be emphasized.
Commissioners emphasized the program will be accountable to the county and to the foundation, and that program personnel and funding structures will be coordinated with partner agencies over time.
