co-responder

American  

[koh-ri-spon-der] / ˌkoʊ rɪˈspɒn dər /

noun

1. a mental or behavioral health professional who aids law enforcement in responding to calls involving people with mental health or addiction issues, or any member of such a crisis response team (often used attributively): With the co-responder program, we are seeing more situations resolved on scene and fewer arrests of vulnerable individuals.

   The county mental health center trains employees who will serve the community as co-responders.

   With the co-responder program, we are seeing more situations resolved on scene and fewer arrests of vulnerable individuals.

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Etymology

Origin of co-responder

First recorded in 2010–15; co- ( def. ) + responder ( def. )

Example Sentences

Researchers behind the Stanford study found the co-responder model decreased involuntary psychiatric holds by approximately 17% and reduced the likelihood of future mental health 911 calls among the four pilot cities.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 25, 2025

Understaffing at the county has resulted in gaps of coverage by the mental health co-responder teams, Moore has previously said.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 23, 2023

Similar to other co-responder models, it allows trained mental health professionals — not armed police — to provide the therapeutic component of listening and connecting people to resources when responding to calls.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 11, 2022

Davis said the department will soon begin phase two of the co-responder program, with two clinicians on the payroll instead of one.

From Washington Post • Aug. 4, 2022

Meanwhile, Prince William County in Virginia has been testing a program since December in which co-responder units of police and behavioral health experts respond to certain mental health crisis calls.

From Washington Times • May 21, 2021