DES MOINES, Iowa — First, a phone call to 911 is made.
The Des Moines Police Department will then have dispatchers determine whether an officer or mental health expert should respond.
The calls that need a mental health expert are then directed to Broadlawns mental health services, where experts who make up the Crisis Advocacy Response Effort program are ready to help.
"So to me, I take a lot of pride in being able to provide mental health services to the community that is much needed," said Gabriel Martinez, Assistant Vice President for Broadlawns Community Based Mental Health Services.
This program has been available for Des Moines residents for one year, and they say they've already received 1,530 calls.
In addition to mental health calls, some of those calls involve welfare check and conflicts between parents and children.
This complete diversion program frees up the police by saving time, resources and money.
The CARE program has three crisis advocates and two staff members who are experienced working with children.
Gabriel Martinez of Broadlawns is proud of the program's connection with the community.
"So, when you hear about the elderly lady that just needed somebody to help her get extra food because she was hungry, when you hear about the mother getting the appropriate resources for their son whose been having behavioral challenges. So to me, it's that. It's the connections that we maintain in the community," Martinez said.
Sgt. Lorna Garcia, who leads the program for DMPD, told Local 5: “I’m inspired because of the number of people this team helped this year - a number that I fully expect to see grow over the next year.”