The Des Moines Police Department has been awarded $283,480.67 in state grant funding to continue its Mental Health Co-Responder program, that officials say provides vital crisis support for vulnerable residents.
The grant, awarded through the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC), will sustain the city’s “Getting People Services” (GPS) program from July 2025 through June 2027.
The program pairs police officers with trained mental health professionals to respond to behavioral health-related emergency calls.
“With more than $17 million in requests and just $7 million available, this grant award reflects the strength and impact of our program and the value it brings to the Des Moines community,” the department said in its announcement.
Officials acknowledged the funding was critical to keeping the program alive.
“Without this funding, we likely would have been forced to discontinue the program due to budget constraints,” the department said in a statement. “Thanks to this award, we’re able to continue offering a crisis-informed response to those in need—connecting people with the right resources at the right time.”
The grant is part of WASPC’s statewide Mental Health Field Response Program, which aims to reduce reliance on traditional law enforcement interventions during mental health crises.
