The Plympton Board of Selectmen unanimously committed to joining Kingston and Halifax in a regional mental health clinician program, allocating $4,521 from opioid settlement funds through the end of the fiscal year. The collaborative initiative will provide a dedicated mental health professional to assist police across all three Silver Lake communities with mental health and substance use disorder calls.
Town Administrator Liz Dennehy presented the regional clinician proposal, explaining the program has been developing through collaboration between the three towns and their police departments. Kingston secured grant funding from the Department of Mental Health to hire the clinician, who will be a Kingston employee serving all three communities. The arrangement builds on a similar program Plympton previously operated with Carver, which Dennehy described as “very successful.”
The clinician will respond to mental health calls alongside police officers, providing professional assessment and support during crisis situations. The position will also assist with follow-up services, connecting residents with advocacy resources and treatment programs. “A lot of it’s honestly a follow-up that ensues,” Dennehy explained, noting the clinician can help residents access services after officers respond to initial calls.
The financial structure mirrors the Silver Lake Regional School District assessment formula, with Kingston bearing the largest share as host community and grant administrator. Halifax will contribute roughly double Plympton’s amount. Plympton’s $4,521 startup cost will cover the program through June 30, 2026.
Board members raised questions about the program’s scope and long-term implications. Chair Dana Smith asked whether this duplicates the Plymouth County Outreach Program, which also provides clinician services. Dennehy clarified the regional clinician would be “exclusively for Kingston, Plympton, Halifax,” providing more dedicated local support than the county-wide program. Selectman Nathaniel Sides confirmed the professional would not replace first responders but serve as an adjunct, working alongside officers.
The draft agreement includes an interim term through June 30 and a provision for extension, though Dennehy indicated the town may revisit participation before committing long-term. Her primary concern centered on grant funding continuity. “I just want to make sure that if for some reason there’s an issue with the grant funding that it’s not like, oh well, now our portion has increased substantially,” she said, noting uncertainty about the full cost of covering a clinician’s salary if grant support disappeared.
Smith confirmed the vote simply expressed intent to participate, subject to final town counsel review. “So, basically this would be today’s just to have the intent to be involved in it with a further follow up on what the cost is going to be and projected cost and how it’s going to go for the long term?” he asked. Dennehy confirmed this understanding, explaining the other communities wanted official commitment before proceeding further with the agreement.
The board’s motion specifically made participation “subject to final review and approval by town council and subject to availability of opioid settlement funds to cover Plympton’s participation,” preserving the town’s ability to withdraw if circumstances change or funding becomes problematic.
Kingston Police Detective Lieutenant Michael Skowyra, who developed the initiative, told Kingston Selectmen in November that department surveys showed 92 percent of officers support having an on-staff mental health clinician. Kingston is purchasing a $66,000 modular office trailer to house the clinician and newly created Family Services sergeant, as the aging police station lacks adequate space. The trailer will include a “soft room” for interviewing juveniles and individuals in crisis.
The co-response model aims to divert individuals from jail to treatment services when mental health issues rather than criminal behavior drive incidents. “The intent really of that DMH grant is a jail diversion program,” Skowyra explained. “It’s really to take instances where individuals should not be getting locked up, and we can offer them services instead.” Halifax committed nearly $10,000 from opioid settlement funds during its Dec. 2nd meeting, with Halifax Police Chief Joao Chaves emphasizing the earlier program’s success before it ended due to staffing and grant administration issues.
The three-town partnership was necessary to meet DMH call volume requirements for grant approval. Skowyra emphasized integration with school resource officers across the communities, noting Silver Lake officials have already expressed enthusiasm about guidance counselors collaborating with the clinician on issues affecting students both at school and home.
The Department of Mental Health grant operates on a reimbursement basis, covering salary, benefits, health insurance, and equipment costs. William James College will provide Training Technical Assistance funded by DMH for implementing the program, helping with hiring, clinical supervision, and licensing issues. The inter-municipal agreement includes provisions for renegotiation if call volumes shift significantly among towns and contains a termination clause if DMH funding is eliminated.
The board also authorized police department use of opioid settlement funds for educational supplies supporting the LEAD program at Dennett Elementary School. Dennehy explained one invoice totaling $115 has already been submitted, with another similar invoice pending. The materials include books for students as part of substance abuse prevention education.
When Selectman Sides asked about annual opioid settlement receipts, Dennehy explained payments arrive on a rolling basis. The town has received multiple payouts totaling just over $13,000 to date. These funds accumulate and are restricted to specific uses related to substance abuse prevention and treatment. “We are somewhat limited in scope as well, which I should mention as far as proper uses of the opioid settlement funds,” Dennehy noted. “So when you have valid purposes that seem like they’re going to make a difference, it seems like this could be helpful in like a solid use of a portion of the funds.”
The regional mental health clinician program represents a significant opportunity in how Plympton, Halifax, and Kingston respond to residents experiencing mental health crises or struggling with substance use disorders. Rather than relying exclusively on law enforcement, officers will have access to a trained mental health professional who can provide immediate clinical assessment, de-escalation support, and connections to treatment resources. For Plympton families dealing with mental health or addiction challenges, this means more compassionate, professionally informed interventions that can lead to better long-term outcomes than traditional criminal justice approaches. The use of opioid settlement funds directly connects litigation proceeds from pharmaceutical companies to addressing the ongoing addiction and mental health crisis, ensuring these resources support their intended purpose of harm reduction and treatment access.