WINONA, Minn. — The City Council voted unanimously to formally terminate its agreement with Hiawatha Valley Mental Health to send social workers on emergency calls for which they would be better suited than uniformed police. The Council earlier put the Hiawatha Valley on notice that the new so-called Advance Response team was on the line because of city budget shortfalls. Terminating the contract saves $185,000 in the 2022 budget. There was Council consensus to make the two-person Advance Response Team a priority for the 2023 budget. City member George Borzyskowski, who championed the ART project, called it important to moving Winona policing forward even if it’s delayed a year
ART profile
The Advance Response Team was conceived to augment Police Department staffing with two social workers. In effect, it was to be a mental health unit in the Police Department. These social work professionals, trained to handle mental health situations, would be available to accompany police on certain calls or to go on their own. Such calls would involve, for example, people on the edge psychologically. Police Chief Tom Williams was among advocates.