By Jordyn Pair
mlive.com
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — A new program that pairs social workers with police officers to respond to mental health crises has launched in Ann Arbor .
The first pair with A2 REACH — which stands for Respond, Engage, Assist, Co-Response Help — hit the streets on Thursday, Nov. 12, the city said in a release.
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“By bringing law enforcement and mental health professionals together, A2 REACH allows us to provide a more comprehensive, compassionate response to community members experiencing a crisis,” Ann Arbor Police Chief Andre Anderson said in a statement. “This partnership helps us connect people with appropriate support and resources when they need them most, while improving outcomes for individuals, families and our community.”
The program pairs Ann Arbor Police Officer Anya Shinabery , who has been trained in crisis intervention, with Nicole Berent , a licensed master social worker with Washtenaw Community Mental Health . Shinabery joined the Ann Arbor Department in 2023 and is a member of the department’s Crisis Intervention Team. She studied chemical dependency counseling and criminal justice at the University of Toledo .
Berent has more than six years of experience in acute psychiatric care, mobile crisis response and community mental health. She graduated with her Master of Social Work degree from the University of Michigan .
A2 REACH is deployed when someone having a mental health crisis is deemed to be a potential threat to public safety. The program focuses on addressing immediate needs, rather than providing long-term care.
“We have seen tremendous results with this model in other parts of the county and are confident we will see those same results in the city of Ann Arbor,” Washtenaw County Community Mental Health Executive Director Trish Cortes said in a statement.
The program, approved by the city in July, is one of two crisis response partnerships with Washtenaw Community Mental Health to provide increased access to social workers and support.
The city also approved SPROUT, which allows unarmed responders to go to low-risk calls, including concerns about people who do not have homes, welfare checks and victim support, among other services.
A2 REACH will operate 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday , the city said. Community members experiencing or witnessing a mental health crisis can call 911, where a dispatcher will assess and deploy the best response.
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