ST. PAUL (AP)  — The St. Paul Police Department will expand its new unit dedicated to handling calls for mental health crises.

Minnesota Public Radio News reports that the St. Paul City Council has approved a budget to nearly double the number of officers working within the mental health unit that started this spring. The unit will now have seven officers and two social workers to respond to the police department’s growing number of mental health-related calls.

The team has handled about 1,500 cases so far this year by performing welfare checks, connecting residents with mental health services and reducing escalations.