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Cookeville council authorizes MOA to continue community crisis response program
Summary
The council authorized a memorandum of agreement with Volunteer Behavioral Health to continue the city’s Community Crisis Response (CCR) program; the city will pick up EMT salary and operational costs through the end of the fiscal year, an estimated additional cost of about $14,000, and include ongoing funding in next year’s budget.
The Cookeville City Council on March 5 authorized the city manager to execute a memorandum of agreement with Volunteer Behavioral Health to continue the Community Crisis Response (CCR) program.
City staffer Mr. Mills told the council the CCR agreement is needed because current grant funding from NAMI ends at the end of the month. He said Volunteer Behavioral Health will continue to provide the clinician while the city will absorb the EMT salary and operational costs for the remainder of the fiscal year, an amount Mr. Mills estimated at about $14,000. "This program saved several lives," Mr. Mills said, urging approval.
Vice Mayor Eldridge moved to authorize the agreement; Councilman Walker seconded. Chief Benton was cited by a council member as having provided an evaluation and cost justification report supporting the program’s value; Chief Winfrey was also thanked for help keeping the program running. Council members said the program reduces demand on police officers by placing trained crisis responders instead of law enforcement on some calls.
The council voted unanimously to authorize the MOA (5-0). The MOA, as described by staff, continues until one party gives 30 days’ notice. Staff told the council they plan to include CCR funding in next year’s budget and will present a budget amendment to cover the remainder of this fiscal year.
The action does not adopt a permanent funding source; the council’s authorization directs the city manager to execute the agreement and to provide the one-time operational funding through the end of the current fiscal year, with a proposed budget funding decision to follow.
