Seattle Times August 11, 2022
In a mental health crisis, police officers or EMTs may be the first to a scene.
They’re not, however, tasked with evaluating whether the person in crisis must be involuntarily detained for treatment. That daunting decision is the responsibility of the designated crisis responder, a straightforward title for a complicated role.
“I think a lot of times people don’t know [who we are] and so they’ll call and ask for a DCR, not really understanding what they’re asking for,” said Justina Nieciag, a licensed clinical social worker and a designated crisis responder in Lacey, overseeing crisis calls in Thurston and Mason counties.
“We’ll go on and explain a little bit about involuntary commitment. I’ll find a lot of...
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