A clinician will join the ranks of the CU Police Department to support officers responding to mental health crisis situations and to serve as a mental health consultant and liaison between CUPD and Counseling and Psychiatric Services (CAPS) in the Division of Student Affairs.
The clinician will work with CUPD officers to provide in-the-moment assessments and follow-up care coordination.
Chief Doreen Jokerst said the embedded clinician is in addition to the telehealth service that CUPD offers in partnership with CAPS. The service, which debuted in October 2019, enables officers to connect students and other individuals in need with counselors in real-time during after-hours mental health crises.
The services are part of ongoing efforts by CUPD to expand its role as a community partner and resource for students, faculty and staff. Jokerst said the decision to hire an embedded clinician was based on input from student leaders who have been meeting with her since 2019 following a racist incident on campus.
The university in October announced the allocation of an additional $1.8 million to support the mental health and wellness needs of undergraduate and graduate students, and students from historically marginalized communities.
The plan includes embedding clinical services in colleges and schools and hiring 13 more counselors with multicultural competencies over the next four years.
