COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Dr. Kari Becker is the Assistant Director of Counseling Services at Texas A&M University.
“We are noticing trends that are really happening across the country. [is] “The mental health needs of individuals are increasing and the demand for mental health services is increasing,” said Dr. Becker.
Her team brainstormed how the University Health Department could work with University Police to better serve students.
“Our law enforcement officers [and] “I think it makes sense to partner with University Health Services because there are more and more concerns about mental health,” said Dr. Becker.
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Texas A&M Police Department Deputy Chief Bobby Richardson understands that the transition to college can be difficult at first for students.
“It’s their first time away from home, it’s their first time away from mom and dad, it’s their first time away from their support system,” Richardson said. “Mental health care is a top priority. Our mission here at University Police is to genuinely help people with life challenges.”
Megan McCarty is a Licensed Professional Counselor with the University Police Department.
She is new to this position at Texas A&M and is working with executives on calls as part of the ACES program, which stands for Assistance, Connection and Engagement Services.
“…We help the person breathe, we help them calm down a little bit, we help them have an open conversation, we help them connect them to resources,” Megan McCarty said.
Mr. McCarty’s role is to act as a liaison between law enforcement and counseling needs.
“We also know that showing up in uniform can be a little unnerving, which is why Megan is here to help navigate that process and provide resources to those in need. , it’s just a huge benefit to our entire community,” Richardson said.
“I think our overall vision and hope is to have a co-responder that responds 24/7, 365 days a year, so we have a mental health provider to assist police officers with mental health calls. will always be present,” Dr. Becker said. .
“We are very proud of the fact that we are the only local law enforcement agency in this area that has a joint response program in place,” Richardson said. “Again, the overall goal is to help and assist the community, and I think we’re on the right track to do that.”
