October 18 Marks Official Launch of Integrated Response for Intervention and Support (IRIS) Program

Recognizing the need for more efficient and effective mental health crises responses, CCSO has partnered with Charlotte Behavioral Health Care to provide an immediate, multi-faceted response. The IRIS Team will be available to respond to certain calls for service and assist our community with mental health/substance abuse related calls. This is a co-responder team consisting of law enforcement and a mental health clinician riding together. Some examples of calls to which the IRIS Team may respond include:

  • Repeat callers to 911 and high system users
  • Clients who are identified as high utilizers of the public health system
  • Persons with known mental illness disconnected from services and causing concern in the community
  • Suicidal attempts and completions
  • Drug overdoses
  • Follow up for emergency petitions done by law enforcement deputies
  • Habitual runaway juveniles
  • Clients who are mentally ill and/or suffer from substance abuse and at high risk of becoming involved in the judicial system
  • Victims and witnesses of traumatic events
  • Death notifications
  • Well-being checks
  • Lift assists
  • Chronic non-life-threatening medical complaints

Additionally, the team will expand to include a Charlotte County Fire and EMS paramedic in the near future, providing yet another potentially life-saving element to the response.

The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office is proud to be a part of this initiative and knows it will aid in providing much-needed help and saving the lives of those in our community most in need.

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