Cerro Gordo County launches Community Crisis Response Team to address mental health, substance use, emotional distress calls

MASON CITY — Emergency response in Cerro Gordo County is being reshaped by a new partnership. The Community Crisis Response Team brings together law enforcement, fire, behavioral health, and social service agencies to respond to 9-1-1 calls involving mental health, substance use and emotional distress.

The coalition is led by the Cerro Gordo County Department of Public Health, and includes a Cerro Gordo County Supervisor, the Mason City Police & Fire Departments, Cerro Gordo County Sheriff & 9-1-1 dispatch, Prairie Ridge, and 43 North Iowa.

County supervisor and 43 North Iowa board member Carl Ginapp says there’s definitely a need in the community that’s been identified by the partners.  “Everybody seemed to identify that there’s a need of people that are slipping through the cracks, not getting the services they need. We were able to come together and come up with this program. Mason City is very unique that all of these services get along. Everybody is in it for the common good, it’s not just themselves, and because of that, we’re in a very unique situation that we were able to pull this off.”

The Response Team is being funded by local grants and Cerro Gordo County’s opioid settlement allocation.  “I believe there was over $80,000 worth of grants, and then a few hundred thousand dollars of opioid funding that would make up the difference. Opioid funding is very specific on what it can be used for, and people that have addiction disorders and addiction problems, along with their associated mental health issues, and also people who are at-risk for those issues too. Everything just fell into place for the common good.”

The Community Crisis Response Team will operate from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM, with plans to expand to 24 hour-7 days a week coverage.