Wichita City Council members have approved additional funding and staffing for a continuing program that provides help to people who are having a mental or behavioral health crisis.
The Integrated Care Team (ICT-1) consists of a police officer, a mental health worker and a paramedic. The program is expanding to add four clinicians and four care specialists, to be added to the four ICT teams that are currently operating. Jennifer Walters, with Sedgwick County’s COMCARE agency, said the additional staff will provide follow up services to make sure people in crisis are getting access to the programs and services they need. She said follow-up care can help reduce future incidents.
The teams will operate in ten-hour shifts on a rotating schedule each week. Wichita and Sedgwick County are providing funding and resources to the program. The City Council approved $700,000 to enhance the program, and that funding was included in the 2023 adopted budget.
