The following was published by UCNow and can be found by clicking here. 

Cookeville Police Department will partner with UCHRA to integrate a certified peer recovery specialist into its operations, providing long-term support for those in need.

City Manager James Mills said the agency will provide a specialist available 24 hours a day to assist people based on their interactions with police. The program is designed to offer extended assistance to individuals beyond the initial point of contact.

“This theoretically would take that person if they need longer-term assistance, for example,” Mills said, “In terms of maybe temporary housing, some type of treatment, getting an address, getting paperwork; this person would help with that.”

MIlls said UCHRA employs several specialists who serve the region, with each specialist assigned to specific areas and a set number of clients. Mills said the agreement comes at no cost to the city and remains in effect for one year.

“It could be, either party can back out with notice if it’s not working out, but this is something both the police department and the fire department support,” Mills said. “But this would work directly with the police department, so they would put them in contact with this certified peer recovery specialist to work with individuals in need.”

Mills said the new initiative is intended to work alongside the existing Cookeville Community Response program. Mills said the current program functions as an emergency response for those in immediate crisis.

“Our CCR program is being very well-received, and it’s received already quite a bit of recognition,” Mills said. “There’s a state agency’s caught wind of our CCR program, and they’re going to be offering grant money for us to expand our program and to use our program as a learning opportunity so that they can spread this program across the state, maybe across the nation.”

Mills said the police department expects to bring a grant application before the city in the coming month to further expand those efforts.

“We’re being recognized for the success of this program, and it’s pretty cool,” Mills said.