Certified Crisis Responder Train the Trainer

Quick Facts:

Description

We train police officers and mental health advocates to become trainers within their own agencies in order to provide officers with the skills to respond effectively to the mentally ill. This team teaching approach allows for collaboration amongst agencies and provides cost effective in house training for all police responders.
Name of coordinating law enforcement agency:
Coventry Police Dept.
Approximate number of officers in agency:
60
Primary specialized response:
Police officers are trained to provide crisis intervention services and to act as liaisons to the mental health system.
Program start year:
2008
Total number of officers in program:
35
Criminal Justice System Focus
Police

Certified Crisis Responder Train the Trainer

Contact:

Name:
Robin Winslow
Title:
Lieutenant
Address:
1075 Main Street
Coventry, Rhode Island 02816
Email:
rwinslow@coventrypd.org
Phone:
401-822-9115

Agency Information

Name of coordinating law enforcement agency:
Coventry Police Dept.
Type of government that operates law enforcement agency:
Municipal
Approximate number of officers in agency:
60

Specialized Response Description

Program start year:
2008
Primary specialized response:
Police officers are trained to provide crisis intervention services and to act as liaisons to the mental health system.
Secondary specialized response:
Mental health professionals partner with law enforcement officers to provide on-scene crisis intervention and referral.
Background information:
We have trained and certified approximately 30 police officers who now provide in service training to police officers throughout the state. We identified a need for police officers to be trained in how to effectively respond to the mentally ill in a safe manner and believed that every officer should have this training. We also knew that there were some budgetary issues in providing this type of training so we decided that a cost effective solution was to train identified officers with an interest in the topic to provide in service training. The training can be delivered in roll call segments or 3/4 hour blocks inclusive of role plays. We are on our third round of training trainers
Total number of officers in program:
35
Number of people with mental illness served:
51-100
Catchment area:
More than one jurisdiction
Funding source(s):
  • State Mental Health Authority
    • Staff supported by funding:
  • Law Enforcement Officer
  • MH Service Provider (e.g. case manager, social worker)
  • Program Coordinator

    • Program Partners and Personnel

    Existence of planning and oversight committee:
    Yes, formerly
    Committee participants:
  • Law enforcement line-level staff
  • Law enforcement supervisory-level staff
  • Mental health (and/or substance abuse) supervisory-level staff
  • Mental health (and/or substance abuse) leadership
  • Consumers of mental health services
  • Advocates
    • Mental health or advocacy agencies that participate in program:
    RI Center Community Mental Health Organizations
    Written agreement of roles and procedures:
    Yes
    Recruitment and selection:
    Officers volunteer and some are selected.
    Program coordinator/boundary spanner
    Yes The program coordinator represents an advocacy agency
    Elizabeth Earls RI Center Community Mental Health Organizations eearls@riccmho.org

    Training on Mental Health Issues

    Types of training on mental health issues:
  • Basic in-service training for all patrol officers
  • 3/4
  • Basic in-service training for dispatchers and / or call takers
  • 3/4
  • Advanced in-service training for select patrol officers
  • 32
    • Number of officers who receive advanced training:
    1-50
    Groups who conducts advanced training:
  • Police officers
  • Mental health professionals (crisis workers)
    • Advanced training topics:
  • Recognizing symptoms of mental illness, and clinical issues
  • Psychiatric medications
  • Community resources (mental health services, etc.)
  • Legal issues concerning police officer liability
  • De-escalation techniques
  • Less lethal use of force options
  • Suicide prevention
    • Advanced training methods:
  • Presentations (including panels, lectures, and/or PowerPoints)
  • Role plays
  • Videotapes
    • Other information on training:
    Officers must complete a teach back of the material and pass a post test in order to apply for certification. The certification process must also show that they have other types of training and experience to support their application for certification. This training and experience may be in the form of crisis negotiator, peer support, communication skills etc. Officers must also have a minimum of three years of policing experience.

    Response Procedures

    Standardized dispatch questions:
    Yes
    Dispatch documentation:
  • Document in central computer database used for all calls, such as a Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system
    • Incident documentation by responding officer:
  • Relay information to dispatch who records it in general computer database used for all calls, such as a Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system
  • Record information in a field encounter form, or other form used to document every citizen encounter
  • Record information in an arrest report
    • Use of information on individuals' mental illness stored in police records:
    Information is used by police personnel to facilitate appropriate response for future encounters with the safety of the individual (rescue to be dispatched) and officers.
    Mental health professional available to support police responder:
    • Yes, remotely by telephone or dispatch (e.g. a crisis worker or psychiatric emergency room personnel)
    Officers permitted to transport people with mental illness to services when:
  • The person has volunteered to receive mental health treatment
  • The person is being brought to a hospital for emergency evaluation
    • Officers allowed to transport a person without handcuffs:
    Yes
    Access to drop-off locations:
    Yes. It is open 24 hours a day. Transportation is by rescue not police officers though we will follow if necessary
    Location of drop-off center(s):
  • General hospital emergency room
    • Drop-off center accepts people with co-occurring substance abuse disorders:
    No
    Length of time for drop-off and return to patrol:
    31-45 minutes

    Program Sustainability

    Data collection:
    No
    Published evaluation:
    No
    Local media coverage:
    Providence Journal
    Legislative funding or support:
    No
    About this information:

    A program representative provided this information details through a detailed survey.

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