Territory’s Mental Health Response Under Scrutiny at St. Croix Crime Town Hall

The official response to those who draw public attention while battling mental health challenges came under scrutiny during Wednesday's town hall meeting on crime and policing in the territory.

The meeting, the second of two convened by the WTJX in conjunction with the Senate Committee on Homeland Security, Justice and Public Safety, featured a discussion on the role law enforcement officials and other agencies play when it comes to assisting people who may be dealing with mental health crises or challenges.

A woman described her experience with such an individual who had allegedly attempted to break into her property. “The first step is always health, because the first step is prevention,” Health Commissioner Justa Encarnacion responded.

“We want to make sure we have the amount of wraparound services we have and need within the territory,” she continued. If prevention fails, however, and involuntary commitment is the recourse, fire or police officers would be called to take action, Ms. Encarcion advised.

A new behavioral health law is currently being examined by a multi-agency “task force”, said Ms. Encarnacion, “so they can better understand what the law is.” According to her, “the new law actually states that anybody that feels as though that person is at harm, to themselves or to others, can have the right to have that person involuntarily committed.”

However, “not every incident that they do rises to the level of a criminal act,” cautioned Police Commissioner Mario Brooks. “If it doesn't, then there's no reason to arrest them.” VIPD officers could, he said, take someone to the hospital if they need to be medicated. Interdepartmental training between the Department of Health and the VIPD on how to deal appropriately with such calls “should be coming online shortly,” the police commissioner said. However, he was careful to underscore that “the ones that do commit a crime, we will address them appropriately.”

A member of the community reiterated the importance of a residential facility where such individuals could have round the clock supervision. “I know we've been talking about that for about five years,” the woman said, but it's truly essential. She drew attention to the intersection between those grappling with mental health challenges, individuals struggling with homelessness, and “crimes that happen around that whole issue,” arguing that more funds to help support residential facilities would ameliorate all three issues among the population. “I would love to see an era here on St. Croix where healing is a priority,” the woman concluded.