The city of Boerne is a 2023 recipient of the ICMA Local Government Excellence Award in Community Partnerships for the reimaging of the Police Department’s mental health officer position and the city’s efforts to collaborate with area partners on mental health response.
ICMA’s Community Partnership Award recognizes programs that demonstrate innovation, excellence, and success in multi-participant involvement between or among local governmental entities, private sector businesses, individuals, or nonprofits to improve quality of life or provide more efficient, effective services.
The Boerne Police Department created its firstever mental health officer position in January 2022, filled by officer Rebecca Foley, to address increasing calls for mental health response. Foley responds to mental health calls, accompanies patients to hospitals on emergencies, and connects them to mental health resources in the days and weeks that follow.
