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Council renews three-year community wellness partnership between police and mental-health provider
Summary
Council approved a three-year agreement for a community wellness program between the Port Huron Police Department and St. Clair County Community Mental Health, with police crediting the embedded clinician for reductions in overdoses and expanded diversion work (chief reported overdoses dropped from 54 in 2023 to 24 in 2025).
Council approved renewing a three-year community wellness program partnership that embeds a St. Clair County Community Mental Health clinician with the Port Huron Police Department to provide on-scene assistance, follow-up services and training. The police chief described the clinician's role in responding to mental-health calls, providing early intervention and follow-up and supporting officers through traumatic incidents.
The chief cited program outcomes in support of renewal: "Starting in 2023, we had 54 overdoses. In 2025, we had 24," he said, and noted the clinician's role in diversion and referral to services within 36 hours of an overdose. Council members praised the partnership and approved the agreement; staff said the model improves long-term outcomes by pairing clinical resources with patrol response rather than relying on law enforcement alone.
