From Missouri Digital News: https://mdn.org

JEFFERSON CITY - In the aftermath of the Oregon community college shootings, Missouri's governor issued a release pointing to the accomplishments of a Missouri partnership between police and community mental health facilities that was established in 2013 in response to the Sandy Hook Elementary shootings in Connecticut.

The program seeks to help identify people who are in need of mental health care.

For two years the program has worked with law enforcement and health officials to make more than 12,000 referrals for individuals in need of care.

The president and CEO of the Missouri Coalition of Community Behavioral Healthcare, Brent McGinty, said the Missouri Community Mental Health Liaisons program will now focus on quicker intervention.

"What we really need to do going forward is find ways to really engage the clients in treatment at the front end of their illnesses versus waiting until folks get deeper into their illnesses," McGinty said.

"That gap in that service continuum between law enforcement and the metal health providers can be a barrier for someone getting the care that they need at the appropriate time," McGinty. said. "So that's really been a critical factor and a critical feature in the CMHL program." 

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