Cobb to lighten 911 load via new agreement

A new agreement should relieve the call load on Cobb’s 911 system and response agencies from people with behavioral health issues.

This agreement with the Cobb County Community Services Board was approved Dec. 16 by the Cobb County Board of Commissioners.

Interim Department of Public Safety Director/Fire Chief Randy Crider said in a Dec. 16 memo this initiative “has the great potential to enhance safety for responders as well as these affected citizens, facilitate treatment and reduce the call load on the 911 system and response agencies.”

The agreement will involve the Cobb County Community Services Board with Cobb County 911, Cobb Douglas Public Health, the Cobb County Police Department (CCPD), the Cobb County Fire & Emergency Services (CCFES) and Kennesaw State University to forward certain callers to other avenues for assistance.

Among them are:

■ CARES offered by CCFES: Specially trained personnel respond in nonemergency mode to educate these citizens and their families and caregivers, placing them in contact with more appropriate resources to better assist their needs and freeing up emergency response personnel.

■ A trained crisis intervention officer by CCPD assists citizens with mental health issues.

■ Cobb County 911 has been compiling data and — with assistance from Kennesaw State University and Cobb Douglas Public Health — examining this data to better identify these citizens, assess their ongoing needs to better facilitate behavioral health treatment and foster relationships with other social service agencies.