MOUNT VERNON – Mount Vernon City Council approved the hiring of a community advocate for the Police Department on Monday.
The measure passed by a vote of 4-3, the council’s second close decision of the evening.
Councilmembers Mike Hillier, Julia Warga, Tanner Salyers and Janis Seavolt voted for the community advocate program. Councilmembers Samantha Scoles, Tammy Woods and John Francis voted against it.
The program starts with $120,000 in outside funding spread out over 2021 and 2022 to fund the hiring of a licensed professional social worker for the position. The Knox County Foundation will award $50,000 grants for each year, while a private donor pledged $20,000 for 2021. Police Chief Robert Morgan said the position will cost the City approximately $106,000 to $109,000 per year, with $63,000 in salary and the rest in benefits costs. The community advocate would be working approximately six months in 2021.
Mayor Matt Starr told council the administration got answers from 28 of the 30 social service- and law enforcement agencies that they surveyed.
“Overwhelmingly, there’s favorable support from service providers who are dealing with mental health and addiction and domestic issues on a daily basis,” he said.
Francis expressed concern that this one person could not handle mental health and domestic violence calls that get made to the Police Department at all hours of the day and night, 365 days a year.
Morgan said the department has determined most mental health calls are made between 2 p.m. and 10 p.m. The community advocate’s hours would be tailored to meet that highest demand. But since it is a salaried position, calls after hours can be expected.
“Everybody is 100% right,” he said. “There is no way we will cover seven days a week, 24 hours a day. And you’re right these calls can come in at any time of the day.”
Most social services agencies told the City they saw ways their programs can work with the City’s community advocate, Starr said. Their expectations include direct referrals to them, screenings of patients outside of the hospital’s emergency department and a reduction in jail admissions.
Screening patients brought to the emergency room by police taxes the hospital’s resources, especially when the person is not cooperative, he said. The community advocate could triage cases in the field in real time and help police officers in understanding challenges of the mental health world.
Morgan said he spoke with Kathryn Spergel of the Mental Health & Recovery Board for Licking and Knox Counties. She said they could offer the community advocate program four hours of staff assistance weekly.
“I know I don’t believe the four hours a week is going to help us move forward with our goals of getting more help out in the community,” he said. “I don’t want to turn it down.”
Another benefit to the Police Department would be a reduction of the time officers spend on a scene where the community advocate is called. Two of the officers could be released for other calls after the scene is secured. The community advocate would never be left alone at a scene.
Safety-Service Director Rick Dzik told council the City’s new human resources director, who will start on June 1, will be involved in all hiring of employees under Safety-Service.
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