PLEASANT PRAIRIE — A new partnership is bringing mental health care directly into policing in Pleasant Prairie.
The Pleasant Prairie Police Department is hiring its first full-time embedded social worker, who will respond alongside officers when someone is experiencing a mental health crisis.
The position is funded through a state grant, as part of a partnership with Kenosha County Behavioral Health Services.
“Local law enforcement officers are often the first to respond to individuals in crisis,” said Chief David Smetana. “This partnership brings professional behavioral health expertise into the department, allowing for immediate assessment, support, and connection to ongoing care.”
Watch: Pleasant Prairie police adding social worker to help families in mental health emergencies
Kari Foss, Director of Kenosha County Behavioral Health, says the change helps shift the perception around mental health calls.
“The laws in Wisconsin are written so law enforcement responds to mental health crises, and bringing an embedded social worker into a department reminds people this isn’t a crime, it’s a health crisis,” Foss said.
According to county health data, more than half of all suicide deaths in Kenosha County since 2020 involved a firearm. In Pleasant Prairie alone, suicide deaths have risen by 67% in just five years.
The new social worker will work directly out of the Pleasant Prairie Police Department, joining officers on calls involving mental health concerns, conducting follow-ups, and training officers in suicide prevention and response.
Chief Smetana says the goal is to make sure no family faces a crisis alone.
“My hope is that we’re streamlining this process, taking away the red tape and the mystery, so families get the help they need faster,” Smetana said.
The program is expected to begin later this year.
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