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City of Madison


2015: Police and Mental Health Provider Collaboration

Police and mental health professionals are typically the primary responders to mental health crises. Given the number of shared cases between these two professions, there is an ongoing need to further cultivate and improve relations in order to best serve the needs of those in mental health crises. Effective collaboration can be challenging and requires consistent communication and partnering before a mental health emergency arises.

The human and financial costs resulting from an increasing number of involuntary hospitalizations and incarcerations of those with mental illness have prompted close examination of crisis intervention practices and emergency detentions. Community mental health crisis management involves multiple stakeholders and requires that mental health providers and police have thorough understanding of their respective roles, responsibilities, and expectations; as well as their unique professional perspectives; possible competing interests, and other potential barriers to effective collaboration.

This training will explore the ways in which police and mental health providers collaborate and sometimes collide during mental health crises. Participants will gain a better understanding of the objectives and challenges facing each profession, and how to effectively communicate so that safe and realistic stabilization plans and dispositions can be implemented. Using real cases in the small group exercises will give participants an opportunity to practice collaborative mental health crisis management. Topics covered include: Get tips to help mitigate placement, medical clearance, and transport challenges, Similarities and differences between Police and Mental Health professionals, Clarifying mental illness and dangerousness criteria, statutory responsibility and civil liability involved in emergency detentions, Arrest vs. hospitalization Issues of confidentiality (PHI, HIPPA) and how to effectively communicate necessary information with one another, Promoting a sense of partnership .

No upcoming dates for this event