Cynthiana Police Department’s social worker acting as liaison between community and partners
CYNTHIANA, Ky. (ABC 36 NEWS NOW via LEX NEWS) — The Cynthiana Police Department has a licensed social worker on staff helping residents get mental health and substance abuse treatment to prevent individuals from ending up behind bars or in the emergency room.
Caity Coffey assists with domestic violence calls, connects residents with substance abuse resources, and serves as a liaison between community partners, officers, and those in need.
“What we see is there has been a diversion between incarceration and [emergency room] trips. We keep people out of hospitals, out of jail, and get them the actual help that they need for mental health and substance use disorders,” Coffey said.
Coffey started in July of 2024 through a federally funded pilot program. She was one of only a handful of social workers embedded with Kentucky police departments at the time. There are now 36 in her line of work across the state.
Coffey wears a badge, although her position is technically classified as “a citizen working with police.”
“I am proof, and this program is proof, and the programs across the state of Kentucky are proof that this is so necessary. It alleviates that,” she said.
According to Coffey, the new program has been necessary, as the police department’s previous approach was to jail people in crisis, but that created a constant cycle of repeat offenders. She said getting to the root cause of the problem is a better use of public resources.
“We’re not tying up city resources. We aren’t tying up tax money,” she said. “We’re not tying up funds elsewhere when we can get down to the root cause of the issue and meet them where they are at.”
Coffey also said the partnership between social workers and police is a natural one, since both are in the business of helping people.
The federal grant funding Coffey’s position is set to run out in 2027, but there have been talks to keep her position due to the need and success of her outreach.
