Outreach team provides resources to help with homelessness, mental health and chemical dependency. Author: Charmaine Nero (KARE 11) Published: 6:37 PM CST January 27, 2021 Updated: 6:41 PM CST January 27, 2021
ST PAUL, Minn. Sergeant Jamie Sipes has spent the last two decades working for the St. Paul Police Department to expand the department s response to crisis related calls for service. In 2016, we started researching progressive programs, says Sipes, the program s coordinator.
Two years later, the St. Paul Police Department started a mental health unit, later referred to as the Community Outreach and Stabilization Unit or C.O.A.S.T. We partner with community-based resources to respond to crisis-related calls together, says Sipes.