Mental Health Outreach
“This is about the opportunity to function as a guardian before we have to function as a warrior.”
A premature rush to routinely dispatch psychologists and social workers to the scene of potentially lethal police-citizen encounters may be a matter of misapplied good intentions
Under a new mandate, California mental health agencies stand to lose funding if they collaborate with law enforcement. Here’s why that is a mistake
Porter Burks, who was fatally shot after charging at officers with a knife, had a long history of mental illness
Federal money will allow communities to send mental health workers instead of police to incidents that involve non-violent behavioral health emergencies
The city is looking to change the depression and suicide rate among police officers, firefighters and EMS providers
Rescue crews face multiple challenges, including what to do if a person is uncooperative or if they attempt to jump from the stainless-steel net
Bakersfield Police Department’s recovery specialist has a special set of skills to field 9-1-1 calls for community members who may need mental health services
Austin’s 911 Mental Health Diversion Program is getting the right resources to mental health crises and lowering arrest rates
The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act includes funding to expand mental health and support services in schools
Current police officers are invited to participate in an online survey to share their perceptions of working with individuals with mental illness
Recent statistics show dispatchers routed 25% of the 2,400 mental health calls from January to March 2022 – not the 50% of calls the program promised
An official said use of the department’s mental health and wellness programs are the highest they have been
“My concern was not about my safety. We just had to do what we had to do,” said Deputy Nicolas Reynolds
The program was launched to address what officers experienced in the shootings’ aftermath and every day
Deputies will use iPads to give people in crisis access to a mental health professional
“A Penny For Their Thoughts” seeks to raise a penny per mile to help responders and their families
The proposed reforms include reevaluating police “coaching” practices, creating a new community liaison and expanding mental crisis response programs
“When I talk to our taxpayers, they ask, ‘Why didn’t we do this sooner?’”
Galveston mental health professionals, paramedics and city police officers will work together
LAPD Deputy Chief Kris Pitcher believes the program has been “largely hampered” by a new bail policy
The documentary “Crisis Cops” that follows Officers Joe Smarro and Ernie Stevens prompted one viewer to put pen to paper
Officers can help a person in crisis while achieving the goal of voluntary compliance by taking things SLOW
Technology gives first responders valuable information when they are approaching persons with physical or mental health needs
After extensive planning and training, the Long Beach IMR Pilot Program has launched to provide safe, timely and appropriate medical care to individuals in crisis
The program will help deputies and COs identify and respond to a mental health crisis as well as potentially in their own lives
SWAT
Falsehoods and myths when responding to mentally ill or suicidal subject calls for service
Meet Deputy Gregory Plett, a seven-year veteran of the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office in California
Police Chief Michel Moore says the programs have been helpful for officers as well
K-9s Jenny and Piper are the first two graduates of “Puppies Behind Bars,” a program that raises and trains service dogs for responders by inmates
“Addressing mental health is central to what we do as police officers,” said Police Chief James White, who is a licensed mental health counselor
The Cambridge Police Clinical Support Unit partners non-sworn clinical professionals with specially trained police officers to reduce the incarceration of vulnerable populations
The Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Office Behavioral Sciences Unit launched a successful program that has support from law enforcement, public officials and the community
