Mental Health First Aid for Public Safety

Certification

This course is certified by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board.

Training Mandates

This course meets state guidelines for the following mandated subject areas:

• Use of Force  (annual)
• Civil Rights  (every 3 yrs.)
• Constitutional & Proper Use of Authority  (every 3 yrs.)
• Cultural Competency  (every 3 yrs.)
• Human Rights  (every 3 yrs.)
• Procedural Justice  (every 3 yrs.)

Description

With increasing regularity, police officers engage individuals who are in an identifiable behavioral health crisis. When officers do not recognize the signs of a crisis, well intended actions to control the individual may inadvertently escalate the situation. This course is designed to give front line officers the knowledge, tools, and resources necessary for a safer encounter with an individual in crisis.

Mental Health First Aid for Public Safety is an evidence-based, national program designed to focus on the unique experiences and needs of law enforcement, corrections, and public safety audiences. The curriculum will explain how disorders impact an individual in crisis and will help participants identify a plan of action. The instruction will give public safety professionals more options to help them de-escalate incidents so they can respond to mental health calls appropriately without compromising safety. This course will supplement crisis intervention programming, but is not a replacement for CIT training.

Topics

• Risk factors and warning signs of mental illness
• The need for rapid recognition of the situation
• The impact of mental and substance use disorders
• 5-step action plan to assess a situation and provide assistance
• Identifying local resources and how to obtain help
• De-escalation techniques
• How police inadvertently escalate and destabilize the person
• Defining officer roles and responsibilities
• Providing understanding and reducing stigma

Instructor

Deadline

Please register for this course by February 3.