Mental health calls account for the largest share of incidents involving the Andover Police Department's embedded clinician, the Andover Townsman reported Tuesday, Sept. 1.

Katelyn Ackerman, a licensed clinical social worker with the department, has shared data on the program's call volume and de-escalation work with the Select Board. During her first year, from July 7, 2025, through July 7, 2026, Ackerman responded alongside officers to 105 co-response calls and conducted 178 follow-ups, Andover News reported on Aug. 28.

Mental health and Section 12 incidents, which involve involuntary emergency psychiatric evaluations under Massachusetts law, together made up a majority of those calls. Adults ages 27 to 45 represented the largest age group in both categories.

Police Chief Patrick Keefe told the board at its Aug. 24 meeting that the department's behavioral-health work has shifted over time. What started with a focus on substance use now centers on mental health.

"She is the unsung hero of the department," Keefe said of Ackerman at the Aug. 24 meeting, as reported by Andover News.

Ackerman joined the department in July 2025 as a behavioral health clinician funded through the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health. Her co-response model sends her to scenes after officers determine it is safe. She conducts crisis evaluations, helps de-escalate situations and connects residents with services.

Police and firefighters are often the first point of contact for someone in crisis because they are available around the clock, even when a person's regular health care providers are not. That is part of why the clinician role exists.

One goal is keeping people out of emergency rooms when possible. Ackerman can evaluate someone on scene and, in some cases, help them access family or community supports instead of an ambulance ride to the hospital.

The 178 follow-ups cover incidents that happen when Ackerman is off duty, including nights and weekends. She contacts people by phone and sometimes visits in person, particularly older residents.

Select Board members at the Aug. 24 meeting asked how the department tracks whether referrals to behavioral-health providers succeed. Ackerman said her role focuses on short-term crisis intervention, not long-term case management, but she monitors whether individuals return to police attention in future crises.

The town plans to use opioid settlement money to fund de-escalation training for 25 officers. The Andover Opioid Task Force is also working to hire a part-time recovery coach to help connect residents with resources.

Residents experiencing a mental health crisis can call 911 or reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988.