Healing the Helpers: inside New Hanover County’s new 911 mental health program

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A new program at the New Hanover County 911 call center is helping take “care” of both callers and 911 operators.

The Community Assistance Response and Engagement program brings mental health clinicians into the center who work alongside 911 operators.

While the clinicians are there to help the community, they’re also helping the people answering the community’s calls for help.

“They can’t get up and run outside and take a break,” Mary Mack, the center’s clinical therapy supervisor said. “They have to go right into the next call. So what we’re able to do is support them through mental health first aid. You know, help them feel less alone, give them tips and techniques to mindfully work through whatever is happening to them, to reach a sort of inner calm.”

The program just started on November 1st and the clinicians are currently finishing their training.

Once done, they will offer call-back services to people who have called the center and might be looking for longer-term support.

“This program is going to be very specific in following up,” Roscoe Harris, 911 quality and training specialist said. “Most times when we have callers call in from the community, it ends when we hang that phone up. But now, with this program, the CAREs program, we have another resource that can follow up with our citizens who are in need of not only mental health first aid, but also follow up with other resources for long term.”

3 people are currently in the program, with the program looking to fill a fourth and final position.