Oregon Public Broadcasting

The City of Portland took a big step Wednesday toward building a mental health crisis center. The city has agreed to a plan with Multnomah County that outlines which agency pays for what.  Kristian Foden-Vencil reports.

After numerous cases where mentally ill people have clashed with -- and been shot by -- police, authorities are trying to build a new 'crisis center.'

The idea is that cops can take a troubled person to a locked and secure facility rather than a jail. 

Multnomah County chairman Jeff Cogen, says that way, the individual can spend a few days stabilizing their mental condition.

Jeff Cogen: "These are people who are in crisis. Often it's people who are off their medications or who are having a psychotic break for the first time. And what needs to happen is they need support in order to become stabilized. It's not a jail. It's about providing healthcare to people, who need the support just to get out of crisis."

Portland's new police chief has also promised to try and change the way his officers deal with people who have mentally illnesses -- to treat them as someone who is ill and in crisis, rather than a criminal.