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Minnetonka embedded social worker reports rising referrals and a co‑response pilot
Summary
Kelly Fraley, the Minnetonka Police Department embedded social worker, told council referrals have risen from 416 in 2023 to about 700 last year, and described a co‑responder pilot, partnerships for housing and supplies, and a state grant application to fund a second position.
Chief Borboom introduced Kelly Fraley and gave a brief history of Minnetonka’s embedded social‑work program, which began in 2019 in partnership with Hennepin County and later moved in‑house to increase flexibility.
Fraley said she has worked in social services for 23 years and described a caseload that has grown steadily since she joined the department. "In 2023, I received 416 referrals to follow-up with residents. And last year, it was just around 700 referrals," she told council, adding that the majority are mental‑health follow‑ups and many involve substance use, homelessness or vulnerable adults.
Fraley listed concrete supports she provides: clinical assessment assistance for transport holds, connections to housing resources and shelter service partners, food supplies from the ICA food shelf kept at the police department, naloxone and fentanyl test strips from a local foundation, court‑order guardianship assistance for vulnerable adults, and work to intercept fraud recovery funds for an elderly resident. She said these interventions have reduced frequent 911 calls and saved officer time on scene.
Fraley also described a short pilot to respond in a co‑responder model (one officer paired with the social worker for a month) to measure time‑on‑scene savings and guide expansion. She said she and Captain Meehan applied for a state funded grant to fund a second social‑work position for two years to expand co‑response capacity.
Council members thanked Fraley and asked about the most frequent referral reasons (she said mental health, with substance use second). The council asked staff to consider internships and phased inspection/implementation for other projects.
Why it matters: the embedded social worker program supports crisis diversion and aftercare, reduces repeat 911 calls, and may scale up if grant funding is secured — affecting police workload and resident outcomes.
