Woodbury PD, Sheriff's Office To Get Social Workers

WASHINGTON COUNTY, MN — Washington County will add two social workers to assist the Sheriff's Office and Woodbury Police Department.

This decision was approved by the Washington County Board of Commissioners at its Tuesday meeting, the county said.

Each position costs $100,400, the county said. One of the positions is fully funded by the federal and state government, as well as Woodbury Police Department, and that position will work directly with the Woodbury Police Department, the county said.

The other position will work with the Sheriff's Office and be funded by federal and state money, and $65,600 in county levy funds, the county said.

The social workers will help officials when responding to calls that may involve somebody with mental illness or "chemical health needs," the county said. This will be done through a co-response model, which consists of law enforcement and social workers working together to respond to these types of calls, the county said.

This model will place less pressure on the justice system and create stronger links to community supports, the county said. This model will also have a positive, measurable effect on how first responders handle mental health crises, and help those in crisis feel safer and less stigmatized, the county said.

The model proposed is a ride-along, in which law enforcement and social workers respond to the call together in one vehicle, the county said. This would also include follow-ups for mental health crises, the county said.