Co-responder mental health program continues to expand across Middle Tennessee

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WKRN) — The Volunteer Behavioral Health Center has seen growth with their co-responder program.

Since beginning the program in early 2022, staff with the Murfreesboro center said that they have connected with over 300 people as a direct result of the service. That service pairs mental health professionals with police.

The funding for the co-responders program comes from the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. But as the program has evolved, Murfreesboro and other areas have started to make co-response a part of their local law enforcement budgets.

Heather Noulis, regional crisis director for the Murfeesboro clinic, spoke about the program with News 2. Previously, she served as a co-responder for the Murfreesboro Police Department.

“A key component is the different departments that have also bought into the co-response program,” explained Heather Noulis, Regional Crisis Director for the Murfreesboro clinic.

“We have two in Murfreesboro Police Department,” Noulis said. “We have one currently training for Cleveland. We have one — actually two — positions for Rutherford County Sheriff’s Department. We have Lebanon, Mount Juliet and Williamson County co-responders as well.”

With the program growing, and with more of the state buying in, the CEO for Volunteer Behavioral Health admitted that they should have launched the program even sooner.

“I believe we have really been neglectful on not having this program from the very beginning,” CEO Phyllis Persinger said. “For the 50 something counties that we cover, I can’t give a big enough shoutout for law enforcement. They want this program.”

That sentiment was echoed by Lebanon Police, who have one co-responder on their staff as of publication. News 2 spoke with their public information officer, Zach Patton.

“Honestly, any time (our officers) get the chance to ride with our co-health responder, they enjoy having her around,” Patton said. “We consider her a part of our family, and she’s a valuable asset to not only our department but also our community.”

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In the middle of an ongoing mental health crisis, the hope is for co-responders to continue to make an impact statewide.

“I just feel like, for community mental health and working with a co-responder program, that partnership will just grow and grow and grow,” Persinger said.

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