ASHEVILLE, NC – The Burlington Police Department’s Co-Responder Pilot Program, locally referred to as the Law Enforcement Crisis Counselor (LECC), operated in partnership with RHA Health Services and Vaya Health, has led the way in transforming mental health crisis response for nearly a decade.
Born from a growing need to better support individuals experiencing mental health and substance use crises, the Co-Responder Pilot Program helps to ease the burden on law enforcement. Through ongoing collaboration with Vaya, the program embeds crisis counselors within the Burlington Police Department to respond alongside officers during mental health-related calls, helping de-escalate tense situations and connect individuals to long-term care and community resources.
“Our police officers do heroic work every day, but they are not the best resource to address the root cause of a mental health crisis,” said Alan Balog, Chief of the Burlington Police Department. “That is where our law enforcement crisis counselors come in to talk with people in crisis and get them the help they need to get well. The Co-Responder Program has significantly improved the lives of people in Burlington and will continue to do so far into the future.”
In 2024, 62% of the program’s on-scene responses were resolved without transporting the individual to a hospital or crisis facility. Only 26% required transport to a hospital emergency department, and 10% were diverted to a local behavioral health urgent care facility, demonstrating an increasing ability to resolve crises on-site and avoid unnecessary disruptions in individuals’ lives.
Notably, there have been zero arrests in the past year stemming from the program’s mental health interventions—a powerful testament to the program’s effectiveness in creating safer outcomes.
“Thanks to our many community partners and their continued collaboration with the Burlington Police Department, the Co-Responder Pilot Program has been a vital addition to the community,” said Tracy Hayes, Area Director and CEO of Vaya Health.
“It’s inspiring to see the impact this program has had in the Burlington community and the positive effect for people experiencing a behavioral health crisis who interact with law enforcement. While the community members involved may or may not be covered by a Vaya health plan, getting community members the help they need benefits us all.”
The Burlington program builds on the success of the Co-Responder Pilot Program in Roxboro. Vaya Health remains committed to expanding and refining co-responder models across North Carolina, guided by the belief that a compassionate crisis response system is essential to building safer, healthier communities.
About Vaya Health
Vaya Health is a specialty managed care organization and local government agency that oversees publicly funded health care services across a 32-county region of North Carolina for people with significant behavioral health needs, intellectual/developmental disabilities, and traumatic brain injuries. Vaya manages Medicaid, federal, state, and local funding to meet member and community needs while advancing whole-person health. Together with members, contracted providers, and local partners, we’re moving forward to a healthier North Carolina. Vaya Health can be found online at vayahealth.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/VayaHealth/, on X (formerly known as Twitter) @VayaHealth, and on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/vaya-health.
