Community Action Response and Engagement

C.A.R.E. Team

The Meriden Police Department’s CARE Team, formally titled Community Action Response and Engagement, reflects MPD’s ongoing commitment to connecting residents with the right response, support, and services during times of crisis or need.

CARE Team-related programs include crisis intervention and co-response, overdose response and recovery referral, disability safety planning, and partnerships with behavioral health and community-service providers.

Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) - Our Co-Response Model

The Meriden Police Department’s CARE Team, formally titled Community Action Response and Engagement, is a coordinated crisis-intervention and social-outreach program that brings together police personnel, crisis-trained officers, clinicians, and community partners.  The goal of the CARE Team is to support safer, more compassionate outcomes for individuals and families experiencing mental health, substance use, trauma-related, homelessness-related, or other social-service needs.

Through MPD’s partnership with Rushford and Hartford HealthCare’s Behavioral Health Network, a Rushford Mobile Crisis Clinician is embedded full-time with the Meriden Police Department to assist officers with people in crisis.  This co-response model allows officers and clinicians to work together when a call is safe and appropriate for that response, bringing clinical expertise directly into situations involving mental health concerns, substance-related crises, suicidal thoughts, depression, domestic disputes, crime victim support, and other complex needs.

CARE Team involvement may include on-scene support, consultation with responding officers, follow-up after an incident, and connection to behavioral health or community-based services.  The embedded clinician may ride with officers, respond directly to calls, provide phone consultation, meet with residents face-to-face, and assist with follow-up for victims or people in crisis.

The CARE Team supports appropriate follow-up, referral, and co-response when circumstances allow, but it does not replace emergency police, fire, medical, or crisis services.  If there is an immediate threat to life, safety, or property, call 911.  For 24/7 mental health or substance use crisis support, call or text 988.  For help finding behavioral health, housing, substance use, or other social-service resources in Connecticut, call 211.  Rushford’s 24/7 crisis line is 1-800-567-0902.

When CARE Team Support May Be Appropriate

CARE Team support may be appropriate for calls involving:

• Mental health or behavioral health concerns
• Substance use or overdose-related follow-up
• Suicidal thoughts, attempted suicide, or death by suicide
• Trauma or extreme emotional distress
• Domestic disputes where clinical support may help stabilize the situation
• Well-being checks involving behavioral health or social-service concerns
• Homelessness-related outreach
• Elderly abuse or vulnerable-person concerns
• Missing or runaway persons where behavioral health, disability, or social-service needs may be involved

Our Approach

MPD sends patrol officers to Crisis Intervention Team training through CABLE to better equip officers when responding to calls involving people experiencing mental health, behavioral health, substance use, or other crisis-related needs.  This training helps officers recognize signs of crisis, use de-escalation strategies, reduce stigma surrounding mental health and addiction, and understand how to work effectively within a co-response model.  While not every officer is CIT trained, the department’s goal is to strengthen patrol response and improve connections to appropriate care when residents are in crisis.

Meriden Opioid Response and Recovery (MORR) Program

MORR, the Meriden Opioid Referral for Recovery program, is a public health, first responder, and behavioral health partnership that helps connect eligible individuals with overdose prevention, treatment, recovery support, and follow-up services after an opioid-related emergency or referral.

The program brings together the Meriden Police Department, Meriden Fire Department, Hunter’s Ambulance, Meriden Health and Human Services, and Rushford, Meriden’s local behavioral health provider and part of Hartford HealthCare’s Behavioral Health Network.

Through this partnership, first responders are trained and equipped with naloxone, commonly known as Narcan, which can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose and save lives. MORR also supports warm referrals to behavioral health and recovery services for eligible individuals.

For more information about MORR and overdose prevention resources, visit:

• Rushford MORR Program
• Meriden Health and Human Services Overdose Prevention and Response

Safe Medication Disposal

A medication drop box is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year in the lobby of the Meriden Police Department at 50 West Main Street, Meriden, CT 06451.

• Accepted items include prescription medications, over-the-counter medications, medication samples, medications for pets, narcotics, and vitamins.
• Items not accepted include loose pills, needles or syringes, medicated ointments or lotions, and liquid medication.

Emergency Guidance

If someone may be experiencing an overdose or another medical emergency, call 911 immediately.  MORR and related overdose prevention efforts are designed to connect eligible individuals with support after an emergency response or partner referral, but they do not replace emergency medical care.

Autism and Disability Safety Alert Registration Program

The Meriden Police Department’s Autism and Disability Safety Alert Program allows residents, families, caregivers, and guardians to voluntarily provide information that may help first responders communicate more effectively and respond more safely during an emergency, missing-person report, well-being check, motor vehicle stop, or other police interaction.

The program is available to Meriden residents with autism, developmental disabilities, cognitive disabilities, dementia, hearing impairment, mental health conditions, or other disability-related safety concerns.  Registration is free and may be completed by a parent, guardian, caregiver, or by an adult registering themselves.

Information provided through the program may include emergency contacts, communication preferences, sensory sensitivities, medical or behavioral considerations, calming strategies, places the person may go if missing, and other details that may help officers and first responders provide a safer and more informed response.

Registration Options

MPD accepts registration through more than one process because families and residents may be connected to different organizations and resources within the autism and disability community.

Residents may register by:

• Completing the existing MPD Autism and Disability Safety Alert form: Autism Safety Alert Form
• Registering through LINKED - Autism Safety Project: https://linkedasp.com/community-partners.  Select the Meriden patch/logo to access the Meriden registration option.  
• Submitting a completed form by email, mail, or in person, using the instructions provided on the form.

How the Information Is Used

Information submitted through the Autism and Disability Safety Alert Program is intended to assist first responders during calls for service.  When available and appropriate, the information may help officers identify a registered individual, understand communication or sensory needs, contact a caregiver or emergency contact, and develop a safer response plan based on the individual’s needs.

This program does not guarantee a specific response or replace 911, emergency medical care, or crisis services.  If there is an immediate threat to life, safety, or property, call 911.

Partnership with LINKED

MPD is partnering with LINKED - Autism Safety Project to expand resources available to residents and families.  Through this partnership, registered families may have access to additional emergency planning resources, including emergency planning materials, social stories, communication tools, and other supports designed to improve understanding, comfort, and safety during emergency interactions.

LINKED training for MPD personnel is planned and will support the department’s continued efforts to provide respectful, informed, and effective service to members of the autism and disability community.

Sensory Packs in Patrol Vehicles

All MPD front-line patrol vehicles are equipped with sensory packs, courtesy of LINKED-Autism Safety Project.  These packs contain tools intended to help reduce stress, support communication, and improve safety during interactions with individuals who may experience sensory sensitivities, communication barriers, or disability-related needs.

Keeping Information Current

Families, caregivers, and registered adults are encouraged to update their registration annually and whenever important information changes.  Updates may include changes to address, emergency contacts, diagnosis, communication needs, medications, triggers, calming strategies, school or work location, or recent photographs.

Privacy and Use of Information

Registration is voluntary.  Information submitted through the MPD Autism and Disability Safety Alert Program is maintained by the Meriden Police Department for the purpose of assisting first responders during calls for service, emergencies, missing-person incidents, well-being checks, and other public safety interactions involving the registered individual.  Information may be shared with police, fire, emergency medical, dispatch, or other authorized first responder personnel when needed for response, safety planning, identification, communication, or follow-up.  The information is not intended for public release and will be handled in accordance with applicable law, records-retention requirements, and public-records exemptions.  Submission of a registration form does not create a guarantee of a particular response, service, or outcome.