NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
May 3, 2016
CONTACT: Dana Kazel, Communications Manager
218-725-5049 (office) • 218-591-2219 (cell)
County-City partnership wins Innovation Award from Police Chiefs Association
In 2015, the St. Louis County Board unanimously approved funding and creating a unique social worker position as a pilot program. Specifically, the social worker would work side by side with the Duluth Police Department, to assist with the increasing number of calls for service involving people with mental health concerns.
Today, commissioners unanimously gave a standing ovation to the partners in that program, which has now been honored with the Excellence in Innovation Award by the Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association.
Since last summer, Social Worker Ona Filipovich has been serving as an extension of the police department. Her role is to assist with de-escalating situations – reducing the use of force and preventing the criminalization of the mentally ill. This helps the individual,and saves time and resources for police and other agencies involved in the courts and public safety system.
The goal is to more quickly connect individuals, especially those with mental illness, to the most appropriate resources and services available to them, and to lessen the chances of police involvement in the future.
In recognizing this valuable partnership between the County and City of Duluth, and the improved service it provides, Commissioner Patrick Boyle, who chairs the Board's Human Services Committee, said, "Mental health is a huge issue, and this is one piece of the puzzle to keep these people out of emergency rooms and jail, and get them the help they need."
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 St. Louis County Commissioners recognized the partners involved in the Embedded Social Worker with the Duluth Police Department program. The program recently received the Excellence in Innovation Award from the Minnesota Police Chiefs Association. Shown L-R are: (kneeling) Commissioners Frank Jewell, Patrick Boyle and Pete Stauber; (standing) Commissioner Keith Nelson, Auditor Don Dicklich, Commissioner Steve Raukar, Duluth Mayor Emily Larson, County Social Worker Ona Filipovich, Duluth Police Lt. Chad Nagorski, Adult Services Division Director Gena Bosshert, PHHS Director Dave Lee, and Commissioners Chris Dahlberg and Tom Rukavina.
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