Social Worker or AR-15? Portland Struggles Over How to Respond to People in Mental Health Crisis

More social workers now

Ride the subway, visit addiction centers, talk to teachers, and there’s no doubt we’re experiencing a serious mental health crisis.We are undergoing a mental health workforce crisis. Social service agencies have an unprecedented number of unfilled positions, and the Bureau…

Social Worker or AR-15? Portland Struggles Over How to Respond to People in Mental Health Crisis

This story was produced by MindSite News, an independent, nonprofit journalism site focused on mental health. Get a roundup of mental health news in your in-box by signing up for the MindSite News Daily newsletter here. This story is the latest installment of Fateful Encounters, an ongoing investigative collaboration between MindSite News, the Medill Investigative Lab-Chicago at Northwestern University and other media outlets exploring police re…

How Social Workers Can Transform Police to Support Mental Health and Safety

The integration of social workers into law enforcement has a long history dating back to the early 20th century when August Vollmer known as the “Father of American Policing” stated that police social work should be proactive, connecting people to resources to meet their basic needs as a means of stopping crime before it occurred. While traditionally viewed as separate professions, social work and policing do share a common goal: supporting comm…