The Mental Health Response Team (MHRT) was established in 2018, due to the increasing demand and daily interaction Orem Police Officers were having with those in our community who were exhibiting elements of Mental Illness.
The MHRT is assigned to work with individuals or family members who have, or are suffering from Mental Illness. Most of the team’s day to day operations consist of making contact with citizens who have had interaction with the Orem Police Department within the last 7 days. These interactions typically consist of suicide ideations or suicide attempts, depression, bi-polar, psychosis, drug-induced psychosis, dementia and any other diagnosed or undiagnosed mental illness condition.
In the summer months, the MHRT conducts an outreach program called “Operation Hydro” by making contact with panhandlers and those that are homeless and providing them with bottled water and information on local resources to assist in their personal needs.
With the donations that the team receives throughout the year, the MHRT has been able to continue their local outreach by providing sleeping bags, socks, and blessing bags to those that are in need in the winter months while continuing to try and identify areas of need and offer options to them.