WellPower Co-Responders ride along with Denver Police officers to 911 calls for behavioral health crises.

After several years of providing person-centered and trauma-informed crisis response, two WellPower programs – Co-Responders and STAR – are being honored with an official proclamation: the third week of September is now “Co-Responder Units and Behavioral Health Crisis Professionals Week.” Why all the fuss? We recently sat down with our Co-Responder and STAR clinicians to find out how these programs have been such a paradigm shift for crisis response and mental health in Denver and what it means to them to be honored with the proclamation.

A little context: How does person-centered crisis response work?

Before the implementation of WellPower’s Co-Responder and Support Team Assisted Response (STAR) programs, 911 calls only included “traditional” first responders – police, firefighters and emergency medical services (EMS) – in their responses. For emergency calls related to behavioral health crises, there wasn’t a “middle ground” option that included a mental health clinician who could step in.

Then came the creation of new kinds of crisis responses: Co-Responders and the STAR program.

The Co-Responder Program, launched by WellPower and first responders in 2016, is a collaborative initiative that pairs licensed mental health clinicians with law enforcement and public safety agencies across Denver. These clinicians work alongside the Denver Police Department, Fire Department, Sheriff’s Department, RTD Transit Police and Denver Park Rangers to respond to calls involving mental health or substance use crises. Co-Responders assist in de-escalating situations, offering immediate support and connection to long-term community-based resources.

Launched as a pilot in 2020, the STAR (Support Team Assisted Response) Program, provides a person-centered mobile crisis response for lower-acuity emergency calls related to mental health, homelessness or substance use. Instead of dispatching police, STAR sends a licensed WellPower behavioral health professional and a paramedic or EMT. The team, dressed in street clothes, offers trauma-informed care, de-escalation and essential resources like food, clothing and water.

Together, these programs represent a game changer in how crisis response calls for mental health and substance use concerns are addressed within Denver, aiming to give the people who most need these services the dignity, time and respect they deserve, all while saving taxpayers money.

Now, let’s hear from the crisis response clinicians themselves about what this work means to them and what they want our community to know.

Q: What does this proclamation mean to you as a crisis responder?

Scott Poulton, LCSW: “It feels good to be recognized for the work that we do. Working in crisis situations can be extremely strenuous for everyone, so being recognized for the sacrifices that we make every day helps motivate me to continue to do this work.”

Justin Steggerda, LCSW: “I agree. We feel like our hard work and dedication to improving mental health crisis response is being recognized by the community. The more community awareness there is, the more people can utilize the services that we provide. The recognition for Co-Response and STAR is going to continue improving through awareness.”

Melody Story, LSW: “For me, it’s nice for the value of our work to be noticed, as mental health workers do not always get the spotlight. The work that we do for our community is very impactful. It’s great to work for a team that’s genuinely doing the hard work of making a difference through supporting and empowering community members to make the best next choice for themselves.”

One Co-Responder who wished to remain anonymous also said: “It is always a good feeling to have your work recognized by the community you are working in. So often in our day-to-day jobs, we get mistaken for various other roles. Being acknowledged for the often-difficult work we are doing is validating that we are making a difference in our community.”

Q: What do you want people to know about crisis response work?

Jonathan VanTreeck, LCSW, LAC: “I want people to reimagine crisis intervention services and what that looks like for the person who we’re serving in the moment. I want people to recognize that quality crisis services involve giving the person served one of our greatest, most scarce resources: time. Giving our time communicates so much: that we’re committed, that we value collaboration and, most importantly, that the person we’re serving matters. This approach honors their integrity and inherent worth, a fundamental value in social work.”

Jarrett Hurd, LPC: “I also want our community to know that we are here for them. A lot of us (myself included) grew up in Denver. We feel a lot of pride serving our communities in a way that is needed and feels important.”

Steve Hernandez, MSW: “In addition to what Scott and Jarrett said, I also want folks to know that we are honored to have this opportunity to serve the people of Denver. The support we receive from our community members is wonderful and motivating. We are thankful that our community invites us into their lives, many times during vulnerable, scary, heartbreaking experiences.”

Steggerda: “We are also working hard to improve trust within the 911 system. We want to provide a safe place for people to resolve crisis situations with a compassionate, person-centered approach. Our goal is to bring collective healing to the city of Denver. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us because we are here for you.”

Q: How do you feel about the upcoming 10-year anniversary of WellPower’s Co-Responder program in April?

Samantha Rabins, LCSW, associate director for criminal justice services: “I’ve been with this program since the very beginning. I’ve watched it grow, worked with these teams and first responders side-by-side and seen the impact we have on our community. We’re changing the way crises are handled in Denver, and people are noticing nationwide. We see other cities emulate what we’ve built because we know and they know that it works.”

Poulton: “It really doesn’t feel like it’s been around for 10 years, and it’s incredible how much we have been able to grow as a team over the last decade. I’m excited to see what the future holds for us, too.”

Rabins: “I’m thrilled that we can celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Co-Responder program. It’s exciting and such an honor to work alongside these incredible clinicians, both on our Co-Responder and STAR teams, and to share this milestone with them.”

How to access Co-Responder or STAR crisis services:

For any emergency or non-emergency situation involving a behavioral health crisis, you can call 911 or the non-emergency line at (720) 913-2000 and Denver’s trained operators will dispatch the most appropriate available response, including STAR or Co-Responders.

For non-crisis mental health support, you can also access services at WellPower by calling (303) 504-7900 or visit wellpower.org/access to learn more.