Virtual Clinicians To Help First Responders In The Field.
BROWARD COUNTY, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) (Copyright © 2026 MetroDesk Media, LLC) — The Broward Sheriff’s Office Thursday announced a new program that will help deputies and other first responders deal with mental health calls. Here is the announcement:
>>The Broward Sheriff’s Office Department of Community Programs has established a pilot Remote Clinician Co-Responder Program designed to strengthen the response to individuals experiencing behavioral health and substance abuse crises throughout the community. This initiative builds on BSO’s co-responder program in its Department of Law Enforcement and the Real Time Crime Center’s Threat Assessment Unit.
Instead of relying solely on traditional law enforcement response, this innovative initiative combines the immediate response capabilities and public safety expertise of BSO deputies, paramedics and behavioral health clinicians to provide individuals in crisis with immediate access to professional clinical expertise—without requiring a clinician to be physically present at the scene.
Through the program, certified BSO Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) deputies along with paramedics participating in mobile integrated health programs, are equipped with secure computer tablets that provide real-time access to on-call behavioral health clinicians.
This technology allows deputies, paramedics and clinicians to collaborate during active encounters, incorporating behavioral health expertise directly into the decision-making process and helping ensure individuals receive an appropriate, informed and compassionate response.
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Based on the circumstances of each encounter, the clinician and deputy can identify the most appropriate and least restrictive intervention. Potential dispositions may include voluntary treatment, crisis stabilization, outpatient behavioral health services, substance abuse disorder treatment, community-based resources or other appropriate services.
The collaborative approach is designed to provide individuals with access to the right level of care while reducing the likelihood that a behavioral health crisis will unnecessarily result in arrests.
“This program represents a significant advancement in the way we respond to individuals experiencing behavioral health crises,” said BSO Community Programs Executive Director David Scharf. “By placing clinical expertise at the fingertips of our deputies and paramedics, we can better identify the underlying needs of individuals in crisis and connect them with the appropriate resources while maintaining the safety of the individual, our deputies and the community.”
By providing clinicians with the ability to participate remotely during an active encounter, the program expands access to clinical expertise while allowing deputies to remain in control of the public safety response. Ultimately, BSO’s goal is to ensure that individuals experiencing behavioral health and substance use crises receive the right response, at the right time, and at the right level of care.
The pilot program officially commenced in 2025 with financial assistance from the Florida Department of Health (Broward), Broward Behavioral Health Coalition, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Florida Legislature and local match funding.<<
