The Goshen community has a new tool to help police better handle people experiencing mental health problems.
At a press conference at Goshen Hospital Wednesday, officials unveiled a car to be used by Jim Ballard, a Goshen cop designated as the city's behavioral health response coordinator.
Ballard's 2011 Chevy Impala police cruiser was due for an upgrade, so he looked at features that other departments around the country have installed to improve their handling of such cases.
This car has decals that are harder to see, making it not so obvious that it’s a police car. Heavily tinted rear windows offer privacy. Flashing emergency lights are discreetly tucked into the grill.
Goshen Mayor Gina Leichty said the department encountered more than 300 people in mental health crisis situations over the past two and a half years.
"Over the last few years, particularly in relationship to COVID, we've seen ever-increasing needs in our community related to mental health crises," Leichty said.
Leichty thanked two companies, Label Logic and Borden, and Goshen Health for helping the city pay for the car.
Jim Caskey, vice president of the Goshen Health Foundation, said the health system’s doctors and nurse practitioners tell him they’re seeing increased mental health needs.
"Last week on two different occasions I was talking to two of those folks," Caskey said, "and they told me about the increasing needs, and the needs to have collaborative partners because it's not something that we, Goshen Health, can just take care of ourselves."
