Valley Health in Winchester is piloting a program that can test the effectiveness of a new avenue in Virginia’s mental health resources landscape. Special Conservators of the Peace are armed and unarmed professional personnel authorized by courts to carry out limited law enforcement duties. The idea is that they can take the place of law enforcement officers to accompany people in mental health crises to hospitals. Sometimes in mental health crises where a person is at a high risk of harming themselves or others, law enforcement is ordered to step in. Since its launch on Aug. 19, Valley Health SCOPs have already supported 10 people.