Co-Responder
In May 2023, the Town of Davidson Police Department (DPD) implemented a new Co-Responder Program. The program, contracted through CriSys and housed within the Davidson Police Department, operates as a hybrid model in which the DPD and the designated clinician collaborate on responding to calls. Officers evaluate the nature of a call and whether a law enforcement action is appropriate. The goal is to ensure the proper response and to provide targeted services reducing the need for future calls to 911.
The Town of Davidson is the first of the North Mecklenburg County municipalities to invest in a co-responder program. The action taken by the Town’s elected leaders provides our residents with first-rate service through the provision of focused behavioral crisis services.
Description
The Co-Responder Program provides a mobile, community-based service focused on mental health, substance use, and situational crisis intervention services.
The Co-Responder is a highly trained and certified First Responder who conducts on-scene assessments, using highly trained de-escalation techniques, and offers citizens a connection to resources. The desired outcome is to see a decrease in future crisis calls for service, reduce barriers to treatment, and break the stigma of mental health and substance abuse.
The Clinician will provide Davidson residents with proactive follow-up and resources. The clinician will also be responsible for reassessing the needs of the community. These voluntary services are free to citizens.
Deja Anderson, MSW, LCSWA, is the designated First Responder for Town of Davidson residents. A graduate from North Mecklenburg High School, Anderson received a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (NC A&T). Anderson went on to pursue a master’s degree in social work from the University of Kentucky. Prior to becoming a mental health clinician, Anderson served as an investigator for the Department of Child Protective Services as well as a parole officer.