| Police officers respond to many calls involving people suffering from a mental illness; yet many law enforcement training programs and workshops do not include mental health training. A literature review was conducted to explore the problems resulting from the lack of mental health training available for law enforcement officers and identify specialized training programs currently being implemented to address those problems. The review identified several program models being implemented throughout the United States including: Joint Police/Mental Health Team Model, Mobile Crisis Unit Model, Crisis Intervention Team Model, and the Broad-Based Training Model. These models include empirically supported components used to increase learning and decrease stigma and result in significantly reduced arrest rates of the mentally ill and increase the safety of interactions between law enforcement and the mental health community. A broad-based training seminar was presented to volunteers from local policing agencies. A pre and posttest analysis revealed significant positive changes in attitude, behavior, and improved knowledge of mental health issues as a result of the training. The limitations of the current research and the future implications in regard to the safety of law enforcement and the safety of those affected by mental illness are discussed. |
