Mental Health Professional Now Working With Police

Yakima Police officers deal with a lot of people with mental problems on a daily basis but now the department has partnered with Comprehensive Mental Health in an effort to help more people with mental challenges. Police spokesman Mike Bastinelli says in the past officers would have to bring the person to the station and wait for a mental health professional taking the officer off the street. "Now the officers have help on the street whenever they come in contact with someone who needs help the mental health professionals are right there." The mental health professionals are called Designated Crisis Responders. Two are now working with the Yakima and Union Gap Police Departments.