Council Corner - Behavioral Health Liaison

22-039 To consider and act on authorizing the Town Manager to execute an agreement with Cumberland County for a Behavioral Health Liaison to work with the Police Departments of Cumberland, Falmouth, and Yarmouth.

Monday, April 11th, the Town Council will be discussing an agreement for a Behavioral Health Liaison to work with Cumberland Police Department and surrounding towns. Chief Rumsey, of the Cumberland Police Department, submitted a grant application to Cumberland County on behalf of the towns of Cumberland, Falmouth and Yarmouth seeking a multi-year shared behavioral health liaison. Through this grant, Cumberland County would provide the town’s 100% of the contract cost in ARPA funds in year one, with an increasing share picked up by the towns in subsequent years.

Collaboratively, the three towns would form a position to make this behavioral health liaison available for 40 hours per week to deliver mental health and substance use support where it is needed most: in the community and in the moment. This specialist would spend their time in all three communities. In addition to co-responding to ongoing crisis calls, they would conduct outreach and follow-up for mental health and substance use related calls that occur during other times of the day. This position would also allow for ongoing educational efforts, to the departments and to the communities, on vital topics such as suicide awareness and prevention, mental health wellness and resiliency, and substance use awareness and prevention.

To learn more please watch the Town Council Meeting here.