Mental Health Addiction Response Unit Now Available in Northwest Louisiana

SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – Today, the Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse (CADA) of Northwest Louisiana launched a mobile response team to help with mental health or addiction.

The team will be able to respond to calls from individuals, first responders or emergency rooms.

“It’s so important that we meet people where they are, with people who can understand and relate to them almost immediately,” said Janet Miller, executive director of CADA. “Our organization has been known for 68 years for dealing with substance use. What we decided to do was take that out of the office and into the neighborhoods and places of people who are really in crisis.”

Similar programs have been rolled out in other parts of Louisiana, including New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Alexandria. The CADA team will now be available in nine parishes in Northwest Louisiana, including Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Claiborne, DeSoto, Natchitoches, Red River, Sabine and Webster.

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Shreveport Police Officer Clarke Jackson said he believes this equipment has been needed for several years.

“A lot of times the stigma of going to the police deters people from getting the help they need,” Jackson said. “So if you have mental health professionals coming right out, a lot more people would get the help they need quickly.”

The team will consist of licensed mental health professionals, professional counselors, social workers and peer support specialists.

“The goal is to be able to relate to those we help,” said Austin Theriot, Peer Support Coordinator, who is responsible for building the team. “It would have meant a lot to me when I was fighting to have someone with some lived experience come along as a cheerleader on my journey, so I’m excited to be able to do that.”

The team will be available seven days a week, from 6 am to 10 pm. The team can be reached at 318-222-8511.

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