Wyoming Cops Get a New Tool to Handle Mental Health Crises — Thanks to $2.4M Helmsley Grant

A game-changing mental health tool is coming to Wyoming law enforcement, and it’s arriving with a $2.4 million boost.

Gov. Mark Gordon stood alongside law enforcement leaders in Cheyenne this week to announce a $2.4 million grant from the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust, aimed at rolling out a new Virtual Crisis Care program statewide.

The goal? Give cops across Wyoming — especially in rural and frontier areas — immediate access to mental health professionals via telehealth tablets, helping them respond better when someone’s having a breakdown, suicidal episode, or severe emotional distress.

“This is an innovative opportunity to help those in crisis access the care they need,” Gov. Gordon said at Tuesday’s press conference, “while reducing the impact on both law enforcement and our healthcare system.”

Picture this: A sheriff’s deputy in a remote Wyoming town rolls up on a 911 call involving someone in emotional crisis. Thanks to the new program, the deputy pulls out a tablet and connects the individual directly to a trained behavioral health expert — in real-time.

“It’s like having a crisis counselor ride along — just virtually,” said Allen Thompson, executive director of the Wyoming Association of Sheriffs and Chiefs of Police (WASCOP).

These trained pros can help de-escalate the situation, assess safety risks, and set up follow-up care — all without the person being carted off to the ER or jail.

The program is modeled after similar efforts in South Dakota and Nevada, where more than 80% of people in crisis were able to stay home safely, with a plan in place.

“We’re talking about keeping people out of jail, out of emergency rooms, and getting them the help they actually need,” said Walter Panzirer, a Helmsley trustee. “That’s the real win here.”

With fewer than 600,000 residents spread over nearly 100,000 square miles, Wyoming faces serious challenges in delivering fast mental health care — especially when crises erupt in the middle of nowhere. Often, it’s the police who show up first — and they don’t always have the tools or training to handle it.

That’s where Virtual Crisis Care steps in.

“We’re proud to bring another valuable tool to law enforcement as they increasingly respond to mental health calls,” said Thompson. “This gives them a direct line to the professionals who can help, and that’s a big deal in a state like ours.”

The program is launching now with plans to expand statewide, scaling up based on need and demand.

Gov. Gordon praised the Helmsley Trust’s ongoing support for the state, calling them “an extraordinary friend and active partner to Wyoming.” Past grants from the foundation have supported everything from rural healthcare to advanced cardiac equipment.

And while this program is focused on law enforcement, leaders hope it also sends a broader message: Mental health care matters — and it should be accessible, even in the farthest corners of the state.

“This is about getting people help in the moment they need it most,” Gordon said. “And doing it smarter, faster, and with compassion.”

With input from Sheridan Media and Oil City News.