Cape Cod Healthcare has pledged one million dollars over the next four years for a project to improve emergency response to overdoses and mental health crises on the Cape.
It centers around a database called Critical Incident Management System, or CIMS.
CAI's Gilda Geist spoke to Cape and Islands District Attorney Robert Galibois, whose office played a major role in getting funding and state approval for this project.
Gilda Geist What is a critical incident management system and how does it work?
Robert Galibois Critical Incident Management System—also known as CIMS, the acronym—is a database that is owned by Kelley Research Associates. It's a system that tracks overdoses and prompts effective outreach. When police departments respond to an overdose, they will enter the call they responded to into this CIMS system, and that will notify an outreach response team that'll follow up with the individual that overdosed and ensure that they are connected to the services.
GG What does overdose response on the Cape look like right now, and how will that change with this new system?
RG Departments are using the CIMS system currently, and what that looks like is a police department will respond to an overdose, the incident will be recorded in the CIMS and then outreach will be initiated. The new system will revamp and expand on the existing system. The CIMS database is under-utilized. In addition to drug overdoses, it could also address a spectrum of behavioral health incidents to make treatment resources and support more accessible to community members and their loved ones. This at-risk module is a proactive approach. Rather than consistently addressing overdose or other destructive situations after the fact, we'll collaborate with multiple partners to treat people in crisis. And by partnering with more agencies that address substance use disorder and related challenges, we can expand available options and enhance support systems, ultimately increasing the chances of success for individuals facing these struggles.
GG How did this particular project to revamp CIMS come about?
RG CIMS is used statewide and was brought here to the Cape area right before Covid hit. The presiding judge in Barnstable District Court, Judge John Julian, saw how the CIMS program was working up in Plymouth County—he sits up there from time to time—and he brought it down to Barnstable County Human Services, who then approached the DA's office at that time to launch a pilot program. Initially, we had three police departments that engaged in the pilot program: Barnstable, Yarmouth and Dennis. And after this successful run of the pilot, State Senator Julian Cyr, as well as the Barnstable County government, played a significant role in getting the funds together to purchase CIMS for this region. And we are looking towards kind of modeling this program after Plymouth County, as they are often considered the model of the CIMS program.
GG This investment by Cape Cod Healthcare is taking place over the next four years. So, what can you tell me about how those funds will be used after this first year?
RG The funds in year two will focus on personnel costs to manage the system, the CIMS license itself, trainings and workshops for our law enforcement and partnering agencies, partnerships with community-based service providers, community outreach, public transportation passes, resource distribution and educational materials. Year three will focus on much as the same as year two, but we'll add program evaluation, consultation, data management, software surveys and data collection tools. And finally, year four will be a lot of the same as the prior years, but we'll include assessing the program.
GG Is there anything else you want to add about this program?
RG We are really excited to expand the system for those on Cape Cod, but we are also looking forward to expanding these services to each of the islands, Martha's Vineyard, as well as Nantucket. These grant funds are going to put us in a really good position to make that expansion.
