Navajo County Criminal Justice Coordinating Council Introduces Mobile Crisis Unit for Streamlined Mental Healthcare Response
Holbrook, AZ – The Navajo County Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (NCCJCC) is seeking to streamline and improve the care for mentally ill persons in Navajo County. In partnership with the NCCJCC, The Navajo County Sheriff’s Office recently donated a properly equipped vehicle to ChangePoint Integrated Health that will enable ChangePoint to conduct more patient transports rather than relying on local law enforcement agencies to do so. This is a direct benefit to the law enforcement community as it enables them to focus more on law enforcement’s core functions. The donated vehicle has been properly marked as a ChangePoint “Crisis Unit” vehicle so that it is readily identifiable to law enforcement, potential patients, and the public.
The initial donation of the vehicle was made on August 17, 2021, where it went to the Navajo County Auto shop to have the former decals removed. Throughout the month of October, the vehicle was cleaned and buffed by New Image Auto Body and sent to Vinnedge Signworks to be wrapped in ChangePoint decal. The Mobile Crisis Unit was then immediately put into service under the care of ChangePoint Integrated Health.
The ChangePoint Crisis Unit will aid and assist local law enforcement in situations where mental illness plays a factor. The partnership between law enforcement and local behavioral professionals has the potential to benefit the health of the patient. The Navajo County Criminal Justice Coordinating Council is seeking to help reduce criminal recidivism amongst the population in Navajo County that suffers from mental illness.
Many partners came together to bring the ChangePoint Crisis Unit to our area. Special appreciation goes to Navajo County Sheriff’s Office for vehicle donation, Navajo County Public Works for removing police equipment and decals from donated vehicle, Jim Leech and Show Low Mayor John Leech Jr with New Image Auto Body for their generously donated time in buffing the vehicle in preparation for a vehicle wrap, Vinnedge Signworks for the vehicle wrap, and the Navajo County Board of Supervisors for their continued support of the partnership and project. A big thank you to the local Police Chiefs who voted for the approval of RICO funds to pay for the wrap.
A special appreciation to Ms. Dawn Wilson, the Navajo County Criminal Justice Coordinator, for organizing and coordinating this project.