CHENEY — Police here and in Airway Heights have partnered to hire a shared behavioral health co-responder to assist officers.
Jenny Mandin, who previously worked for Spokane’s Regional Behavioral Health Unit, began this month.
“The biggest goal here is to provide access to these mental health resources to the West Plains,” Mandin said. “I look forward to bringing my knowledge and experience to the community out here.”
“We’re very excited to have Jenny on board,” Cheney Administrator Mark Schuller said.
Mandin has been a social worker more than 10 years.
Additionally, Mandin previously worked for the homeless services in Los Angeles County, Calif., and nonprofit organizations in Seattle.
“Working at Eastern State Hospital helped solidify that I like working in crisis areas,” Mandin said, describing her position and how direct intervention at a critical moment can make a difference for a person in crisis.
“Getting an opportunity to engage and de-escalate, hopefully diverting that person into a form of care and course of treatment that is better suited to their situation, is important to me,” Mandin said, noting her job isn’t done when a crisis is over.
She also follows up with individuals and helps to manage their cases.
Mandin has filled one of two positions open for this program between Cheney and Airway Heights, a grant for, which was awarded in March.
The two mental health response teams, consisting of one licensed mental health professional each, will respond to mental health, possible suicide and drug- and alcohol-related cases.
“We want to combine our resources and benefit our communities that way,” Cheney Police Chief Rick Beghtol said. “One of the first things we want to do is provide for response to mental health cases.”
Lucas is a former Cheney Free Press managing editor. He is a nationally published author who contributes regularly to several publications across the country.
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