T-R PHOTO BY MIKE DONAHEY From left, YSS of Marshall County Senior Director of Community Engagement David Hicks, co-responder Suzanne Reed, YSS clinical director Ryan Keller, co-responder Tiffany Beadle and Marshalltown Police Department (MPD) Officer Brad Mauseth converse during the "Coffee with a Co-Responder" event Thursday morning at the Tremont Grille in Marshalltown.

Confronting mental health issues, preventing 17 arrests, numerous visits to the local emergency room and helping people work through a wide variety of mental health abuse issues are examples of work by the Marshalltown Police Department and the community co-responders known as Marshalltown Police and Community Team (MPACT) advocates.

Fittingly, as part of National Co-Responder Week, three co-responders — Tiffany Beadle, Ryan Keller and Suzanne Reed — discussed their duties with interested members of the public Thursday morning at the Tremont Grille in Marshalltown.

In a candid and forthright manner, the trio shared the daily challenges they face in dealing with the homeless, those suffering from mental illness, substance abuse and other issues since the program was implemented four years ago as a joint effort between the MPD and YSS of Marshall County.

Also contributing to the discussion were MPD officers who work side-by-side with the co-responders, Police Chief Mike Tupper and YSS of Marshall County Senior Director of Community Engagement David Hicks.

“When an officer arrives at the scene of a call, they will assess the situation to determine if MPACT might be of assistance,” Hicks said. “If so, the officer contacts the co-responders and requests they come to the scene.”

The presence of co-responders helps minimize the stress and anxiety that can lead to unnecessary arrests and use of force, according to the YSS website.

The co-responders are highly-trained human service providers and are contacted when a non-emergent non-criminal police call comes in involving mental illness, family conflict, substance abuse, or emotional/behavioral situations. MPACT is not used when violent situations or life-threatening medical emergencies occur, nor is it a 24-hour service.

Co-responders have helped a grieving family of three after a family member committed suicide.

Hicks emphasized that MPACT’s services can only be channeled through the MPD.

“We want our co-responders to be in a safe and controlled situation,” he said.

Reed, with 18 months experience on the job, said MPACT has been able to reduce a substantial number of visits to the UnityPoint Health — Marshalltown Emergency Room by counseling those in need of mental health services at the scene and if necessary, directing them to other YSS or community resources.

Beadle and Reed are the primary co-responders who are on duty Monday and Thursday 9 a.m. to midnight and Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 2 p.m. to midnight. Keller, their supervisor, also assists with calls in Marshalltown and other Iowa communities offering co-responder service.

Beadle, Keller and Reed were effusive in their praise of the MPD in keeping them safe and helping to make the program effective.

In a similar manner, MPD staff praised the co-responders for their skills and in turn, making their jobs easier and law enforcement more effective. Hicks lauded Beadle, Keller and Reed for their performance.

“We have the right people in the right job,” he said.

The program was started in 2020 when Tupper and Hicks — in a presentation to the Marshalltown city council — asked for funds to start the program. They were successful.

Annual funding from the city combined with federal grants make the program effective. However, Hicks and Tupper still want a long-term funding solution.

Tupper commended Rep. Sue Cahill (D-Marshalltown) for her ongoing efforts to find sustainable, long-term funding for MPACT during the 2024 session of the Iowa Legislature.

“We were not successful, but we raised awareness of Marshalltown’s success,” Cahill said. “We are the smallest Iowa city participating in a program like this while demonstrating outstanding results.”

Jarret Heil, a Republican who serves as the chairman of the Marshall County Board of Supervisors, also praised MPACT for skilled, personal one-to-one communication in stressful situations.

Over coffee, numerous community members and city staff joined in the informal but thought provoking “town hall” format where poignant questions were posed to the co-responders and others about the lack of an overnight homeless shelter in Marshalltown. Also meriting extended discussion was the strong demand for free-of-charge food at the numerous pantries locally.

YSS of Marshall County has been providing resources to local families for more than 40 years, according to the organization’s website. YSS provides mental health therapy, foster care support, supportive housing programs and more for youth.

The Marshall County office is located at 22 N. Center St. in Marshalltown. For more information, contact YSS at 641-752-2300 or www.yss.org/MPACT.