Oakdale council approves coordinated mental‑health response program to begin July 1

The Oakdale City Council approved a consensus motion (item C) on June 9 to launch a coordinated mental‑health response program beginning July 1.

Council discussion noted the initiative is the product of multi‑year work between the city, the police department and county partners. A council member who moved the motion said the program follows models used in Woodbury, Forest Lake, Stillwater and Cottage Grove and is intended to provide residents who have repeat interactions with police better access to behavioral-health support.

"This is going to be a huge resource for people who really have repeat issues with the police, with mental health, that they're gonna have someone additional that they can go to and get the support they need," the council member said during discussion.

The motion was seconded, put to a voice vote, and approved. Council members thanked Chief Newton and staff for their work coordinating with the county; no budget or specific funding sources were identified during the discussion in the meeting record.

Why it matters: Council approval authorizes the city to begin implementation of a cross‑agency response intended to reduce repeated police contacts by connecting people to mental‑health services. The program's design and funding details were described at a high level in the meeting; staff will likely return with operational and budget specifics before full rollout.

What happens next: The council approved the motion to start July 1; staff and the police department will proceed with implementation planning in coordination with the county.