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Behavioral Health Team

Behavioral Health Team
It is the policy of the Buffalo Police Department to respond to incidents involving individuals with mental or behavioral health concerns with professionalism, compassion, and concern for the safety of all involved.
The Behavioral Health Team operates Monday thru Friday from 8 a.m. till 6 p.m. For non-emergent question and concerns you can contact the Behavioral Health Unit at 851-9604 or email Captain Amber Beyer at [email protected] Please call 911 for immediate assistance with someone in crisis.
In the event that police must be called to respond to an individual in distress or experiencing a mental health crisis, the following is what you can expect to occur.

Initial Response
When calling 911 be as descriptive as possible as to what you observe and any relevant information on the individual involved (ie; mental health/substance abuse concerns, known agitators, etc)
Whenever possible, patrol officers with special skills and training will be dispatched to provide direction and guidance during initial patrol response to incidents involving persons in crisis or believed to be mentally ill.
When feasible, the officer shall attempt to use de-escalation techniques, subject assessment, active listening, and rapport building when dealing with emotionally disturbed individuals
The Behavioral Health Team will respond when requested to provide rapid mental health intervention, evaluations, assessments, crisis de-escalation and safety planning. Case management and resource navigation services are provided if needed.
If appropriate, individuals should be referred to community resources and diverted from unnecessary transports to the Emergency room or jail.

Follow ups
BHT members will attempt to make contact with individuals who have had police contact to provide prevention services and treatment options in an effort to reduce future law enforcement interactions and get individuals the help they need.

https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/buffalo/news/2020/10/15/buffalo-police-department-mental-health-team-graduates-

https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/buffalo/wny-mental-health/2020/10/29/bpd-new-behavioral-health-unit-aims-to-change-how-police-respond-to-mental-health-calls-

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