Wyoming law enforcement agencies will be better able to respond to mental health crises in their communities thanks to a $2.4 million grant from the Helmsley Charitable Trust. The funding supports the Virtual Crisis Care program, which connects officers in the field with licensed mental health professionals for immediate help for people in crisis.
Governor Mark Gordon announced the program on August 5. The program is already active in the Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office, and the Green River, Rock Springs and Lusk Police Departments. Officers in other counties are in various stages of training and rollout.
Sweetwater County Sheriff John Grossnickle said the program is not just about reducing emergency detentions or hospital transports, but giving support.
“We're talking about offering dignity and restoring hope. About meeting people with the kind of help they need in the moment that they need it,” he said. “ In our profession, we are people first, cops second.”
Kelsey Young, clinical director for High Country Behavioral Health, a community mental health provider, emphasized the program’s benefits for rural Wyoming.
“This collaboration strengthens the safety net for our rural communities. It ensures that fewer people fall through the cracks,” Young said. “Together, we are building a stronger, more connected system of care.”
Green River Police Chief Shaun Sturlaugson shared an example of the program in action: officers safely connected with a person in crisis by phone when meeting face-to-face was too dangerous. Then, they were able to use the Virtual Crisis Care program to connect that person with a healthcare professional.
“It was resolved peacefully [and] left everybody feeling like something good had taken place,” he said.
With Virtual Crisis Care, Wyoming is joining South Dakota and Nevada in pioneering technology-driven crisis response that keeps people safe and improves mental health outcomes in rural areas.
