For Brenda Evans, the Wilsonville Police Department’s first behavioral health clinician, each call is different. At one moment she might respond to a mental health-related incident, while in the next she checks in on a homeless individual and offers resources.
The position involves responding to crisis situations and working with individuals to ensure they get the resources they need. Evans will join law enforcement in responding to incidents when needed, and respond on her own if she is already familiar with the person or situation.
Evans was hired through the Clackamas County Mobile Crisis Team in November 2022 and arrived in Wilsonville in January 2023. Evans and Wilsonville Police Chief Robert Wurpes said that prior to having a clinician dedicated to Wilsonville,Clackamas County employees would conduct behavioral health work in Wilsonville.
Wurpes said having a person located in Wilsonville allows for quicker response times, as opposed to the clinician needing to travel to the city.