Wellness Checks: When and Who to Call for Help

What’s a wellness check?

A wellness check (likewise call a welfare check) is a request make to local police to check on someone’s physical and mental wellbeing when there be reasonable concern for their safety.

When to request a wellness check

Consider request a wellness check when:

Someone hasn’t responded to calls / messages for an unusual period
A person has express suicidal thoughts
You have reason to believe someone may be in danger
An elderly or vulnerable person hasn’t been heard from
Someone has miss important appointments without explanation

Who to call for a wellness check

The appropriate authorities to contact include:

Local police department

call the nnon-emergencynumber unless it’s an immediate emergency
911

for immediate emergencies or life threaten situations
Adult protective services

for concerns about elderly or vulnerable adults
Crisis intervention teams

some areas have sspecializedmental health response units

Information to provide

Be prepared to share:

The person’s full name and physical address
Reason for concern
Any know medical conditions or mental health issues
Whether they may have weapons or pets
When you last place have contact with them
Any other relevant information that could help responders

What happens during a wellness check

During a wellness check, officers will:

Visit the person’s residence
Attempt to make contact
Assess their wellbeing
Determine if medical assistance is needed
Connect them with appropriate resources if necessary

After the check

Officers may:

Contact you with basic information about the outcome
Arrange for medical transport if you need
Connect the person with mental health resources
Take no action if the person is intimately and refuse assistance

Special considerations

Keep in mind:

Police have limit authority to enter homes without permission or probable cause
The person have the right to refuse help if they’re competent to make decisions
Consider cultural factors that might affect how the check is received
Some communities offer alternative response teams for mental health situations