Captain Dennis Wood is getting ready some of the tools he will be using for his first shift in the newly created Albany County Crisis Officials Responding and Diverting program.

“They’ve done a lot of training over the past couple of weeks. We’ve done a lot of stuff to prepare for this,” said Wood, who’s part of the emergency medical services for the Albany County Sheriff’s Office.

Rolling with Wood on the inaugural shift is Katie Flanigan. She’s the clinical director at the county’s mental health department.

“Our plan tonight is to try to outreach to that person, and see if we can help in some manner to provide resources,” Flanigan said.

This is just one of the teams that will be dispatched from the Albany County Sheriff’s Office to respond to mental health and non-violent emergency calls. County officials on Friday launched the pilot program, which will serve the Hilltowns.

“Mental health crises deserve mental health responses,” said Dr. Stephen Giordano, Albany County mental health commissioner.

It’s one of the ways officials across the Capital Region are trying to better assist those suffering from a mental health crisis.

As this program began, another group of law enforcement officers were graduating from the Emotionally Disturbed Person Response Team training at Hudson Valley Community College on Friday afternoon.

“Over the past, I’d say, five years, we’ve seen an increase in mental health calls for service within our department,” said Captain Matthew Montanino of the Troy Police Department.

He is an instructor for this course and has been a part of it since its inception in 2006.

This month, 30 officers from Albany County, Rensselaer County and Saratoga County sheriff's departments took part in the weeklong training.

“The program is designed to help officers have an understanding of mental illness, and to assist people that are in an emotional crisis,” Montanino said.

Officials says the goal of these efforts is to make sure everyone involved remains safe, while those suffering from a mental health crisis get the right support and care.