Author :
Release : 2004
Genre : Crisis intervention (Mental health services)
Kind : eBook
Book Rating : /5 ( reviews)
Book Synopsis Police Responses to Mentally Ill Persons in Crisis by :
Download or read book Police Responses to Mentally Ill Persons in Crisis written by . This book was released on 2004. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Law enforcement personnel are increasingly becoming the first line of response in emergency situations involving mentally ill persons. However, research continues to show that, in general, police training with respect to mental illness is inadequate. Thus, officers frequently feel ill prepared to handle crisis situations involving the mentally illustrationsDue to the complex nature of police encounters with the mentally ill, communities and police departments across the United States are gradually discovering the need for policies and procedures that safely and effectively address the handling of mentally ill persons in crisis. As a result, some departments have increased the amount of training that their officers receive regarding mental illness. In addition, collaborative efforts between police departments and the mental health system are slowly emerging.The present research reviews existing research regarding police handling of mentally ill persons in crisis. In addition, the study provides an overview of police education and training guidelines regarding the mentally ill and examines the interrelationship between the police and mental health professionals in responding to mentally ill persons in crisis.Following this review, the results of a survey completed by police officers in a suburban Midwestern city are presented. The survey was designed to investigate police training regarding mental illness, the perceived effectiveness of police contact with the mentally ill, and the need for various kinds of information, assistance, or training in collaboration with the mental health community.The findings show that although 64.3% of respondents reported that they received five or less hours of academy training regarding mental illness, the majority of respondents (61.2%) felt adequately prepared to handle crisis situations involving the mentally illustrations However, the results also demonstrate that the majority of respondents were willing, at least in part, to receive further training or assistance from the mental health community. These findings suggests that, in order to ensure the safe and effective handling of mentally ill persons in crisis, police departments should consider supplementing training with the establishment of cooperative agreements with local mental health providers.