Crisis Intervention 101: Police and Mental Health Response
Description
Out of over 17,000 law enforcement agencies in the United States, only about 4,000 departments have some type of crisis intervention program. Mental health issues tend to affect about 1 in 5 people. Since the COVID crisis, that number has skyrocketed, and law enforcement is the most readily available response. We do great giving our officers the best equipment, vehicles, and state of the art “toys.” However, at times, we fail to equip officers with the necessary tools “to serve and protect.” Many radio calls are service calls to help those in need.
This three-hour webinar will provide the student with an overall introduction to crisis intervention for the adult as well as the youth. Youth suicides are on the rise and children as young as six years old are taking their lives. The course will provide the point of view of the first responder and what to look for. We are not clinicians or social workers; we are facilitators who direct the person in crisis to the correct resource.
Most crisis intervention calls are non-criminal in nature. It is not an enforcement contact; rather, it is a community care-taker function. We discuss communication platforms and tactics to help de-escalate potentially violent situations. The course delves into the existing case laws that govern our response.
Upon completion, the student will have a clear understanding of the basics of crisis intervention response.
This course is Missouri POST Approved for 1 hour of technical studies, 1 hour of interpersonal studies, and 1 hour of legal studies with 1 hour in the subcategory of de-escalation.