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.

---

Etymology

Origin of co-responder

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

Example Sentences

Mariela Ruiz-Angel, director of Alternative Response Initiatives at Georgetown Law’s Center for Innovations in Community Safety, said a co-responder model is fantastic — but it’s just the beginning of what a progressive city looks like.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 25, 2025

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

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

The department has embraced “a co-responder philosophy” in which a mental health clinician, when available, accompanies police officers on calls such as the one involving Lynch.

From Washington Post • Aug. 4, 2022

Between January through March, the co-responder teams were sent to 240 calls and helped 25 people avoid criminal charges, he said.

From Washington Times • May 21, 2021