CLEVELAND — The family of Tanisha Anderson expressed their support for a Nov. 13 panel discussion at the Case Western Reserve University Social Justice Center concerning potential changes in Cuyahoga's mental health care response.
The event, moderated by Prof. Ayesha Bell Hardaway, included a panel of experts and Case law students who discussed ideas for better mental health crisis response nine years after Anderson died after Cleveland Police restrained her during a mental health crisis
Anderson died in 2014 after her family repeatedly called 911 for mental health assistance. She was bipolar and schizophrenic. But instead of help, police handcuffed Tanisha face down on an icy sidewalk. She later died in the hospital.
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Tanesha's Uncle, Mike Anderson, spoke at the event and told News 5 that changes in mental health crisis response and better police training are needed.
“Nine years later to me is just like yesterday, and that’s why we’re here today. It’s a serious issue as far as police responding to just wellness checks," Anderson said. “It’s very crucial because some have had training, some have not had training. I’m hoping to link with NAMI, which is the National Alliance of Mental Illness and do some work with them to help get some of the cadets to get their mindset coming into the police academy.”
Tanisha’s sister, Jennifer Johnson, also attended the presentation and told News 5 she hopes the City of Cleveland will soon approve "Tanisha's Law," calling for a better mental healthcare response and police training.
“It’s time because there are so many things going on with people who have mental health issues and being aware of them when they do have to come down to a crisis," Johnson said. “Tanisha’s Law is saying that it’s one of those first steps in the right direction for them to get the training that they need when they are going into a complicated situation.”
Meanwhile, Bell Hardaway told News 5 the panel discussion is a key step toward reform.
“Anything that we can do to educate our law students. To think through what is necessary to ensure that we have a holistic community-focused response responding to folks who have an individual mental health crisis," Bell Hardaway said. “We have a panel of folks, policymakers and community leaders who will talk about what is being done in other communities, as well as models as to what is important to happen here locally."
The office of Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb responded quickly to our story and issued the following statement on its effort to improve mental health response:
The Department of Public Safety is in the final stages of contracting with an outside agency that would double the number of clinicians available to respond to calls involving mental health and addiction-related crises, and is hopeful that will be in place before the end of the year. They have had conversations with multiple stakeholders, assessed various types of data, and researched best practices from departments across the country — all in an effort to ensure the expanded program is as successful as possible.
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