Cambridge Police Launch New Mental Health Crisis Team
Cambridge, MD - Cambridge Police Department (CPD) is teaming up with Affiliated Santé Group to bring a new kind of help to the community. The two groups are launching a Co-Responder Mobile Crisis Program in Cambridge. It's designed to give people in crisis better support, right from the start.
Police are often the first ones called when someone is struggling with a mental health crisis. CPD Chief of Police Justin Todd shared that almost 60 percent of the department's calls in 2025 involved some type of mental health crisis. As Chief Todd put it, "... we are trained to the very bare minimum of what we can do."
That's where this new program comes in. It pairs CPD's crisis intervention officers with a behavioral health clinician from Santé. Together, they'll respond to crisis calls side by side, offering more resources and a better shot at a positive outcome.
The partnership also includes ongoing training for officers. Chief Todd calls these sessions crucial. He believes this kind of teamwork will "build trust and bridge gaps" between police and the community.
He also emphasized that officers won't be expected to handle everything alone. Instead, "the police will know how to find the resources to help with whatever situation they find themselves in."
Santé has been providing crisis services on the Eastern Shore since 2010. The nonprofit is excited to bring this expanded support to Cambridge. Regional Director Tina-Marie Brown said, "the co-responder team will be a great expansion to our Mobile Crisis and Mobile Response and Stabilization teams in Dorchester County."
Santé has run similar programs successfully in other parts of Maryland and in North Carolina. CEO Michelle Grigsby-Hackett shared her excitement about the partnership too. "We are honored to be in partnership with CPD to provide additional supports to individuals who are experiencing a crisis and help with diversion from the criminal justice system," she said.
Santé staff will work out of the Public Safety Building during the program. They'll also track statistics to measure how well the program is working over time.
The best part? This program won't cost Cambridge a dime. It's funded by $499,000 in federal spending secured by U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen for Fiscal Year 2024.
Senator Van Hollen explained why this funding matters. "Responding to mental health emergencies requires the right training, resources, and support. This federal funding for the Co-Responder Mobile Crisis Program will expand partnerships between law enforcement and behavioral health professionals. Combined with additional training, this initiative will help provide tools to de-escalate when individuals are experiencing a mental health crisis, to improve outcomes and safety for everyone involved."
Final details are still being worked out, but the teams should be up and running soon. Lindsay Worm, LCSW, will be one of the first two co-responders working alongside CPD.
