Social workers are a part of police departments. When should they be called to act?

When someone is in distress, who should respond to the call for help? Police officers or social workers? The question of who should take the lead on distress calls has become all the more pressing. It was thrust into public discourse again last month when Ypsilanti residents witnessed a SWAT team have a 30-hour standoff with someone who they say was experiencing a mental health crisis.

Hillary Nusbaum is a co-responder supervisor for the Oakland Community Health Network. Producer Sam Corey spoke with her about what a co-responder does and when they should be called to take action on a 911 call.

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