Law enforcement interaction and response to individuals with mental health issues has been at the forefront of public concern, both within California and nationwide.  Incidents involving persons with disabilities has resulted in extensive media coverage and community inquires regarding the law enforcement response to mental health events and the training standards for law enforcement officers handling such incidents.

Further exacerbating the situation is the ever-increasing community reliance on law enforcement to assist with mental health crises that in the past were handled by the mental health or medical industry. This significant shift in professional responsibility and greater societal expectation of law enforcement has prompted the Legislature to require additional training for law enforcement.

On October 3, 2015, Governor Brown, signed into law Senate Bill 11 and Senate Bill 29, authored by Senator Beall, which mandated additional mental health training be provided to law enforcement officers in the Regular Basic Course (RBC), the Field Training Program (FTP), and for in-service level personnel.  

TPS have been working on the development of the training required for in-service level personnel.

Senate Bill 11 mandates the Commission on POST to establish and keep updated a course on crisis intervention behavioral health training for law enforcement officers. The new mandate requires that the course be a minimum of three consecutive hours, and must be classroom based and include instructor-led active learning, which may include training scenarios and facilitated learning activities. The course will be designed for all law enforcement officers with a rank of supervisor or below who are assigned to patrol duties.

TPS staff is working with a representative from Senator Beall’s office, and subject matter experts from all relative disciplines to develop this course that will address issues related to stigma, and be culturally relevant and appropriate.  To meet the legislative mandates the course content shall include the cause and nature of mental illness, intellectual disability and substance use disorders, as well as indicators of mental illness, intellectual disability and substance use disorders.  Additional topics will include appropriate responses to situations involving persons with mental illness, intellectual disability and substance use disorders, conflict resolution and de-escalation techniques, appropriate language usage when interacting with a potentially emotionally distressed person, resources available to serve persons with mental illness or intellectual disabilities, and will include the perspective of individuals and families who have experiences with person with mental illness, intellectual disability and substance use disorders.

Staff will include additional topics that will qualify this course to meet the requirements for Communications Perishable Skills defined in POST Regulation 1005 and Procedure D-2-1.  The course will be available by August 1, 2016 to meet the legislative deadline.

SB 29 requires field training officers complete a minimum of 8 hours of crisis intervention behavioral health training.  Although POST is not required to develop this training, staff has determined that creating and making this course available to field training officers would help to alleviate confusion for agencies trying to determine if a course met the content requirements of the bill.

This course is also required to include the cause and nature of mental illnesses and intellectual disabilities, how to identify indicators of mental illness, intellectual disability, and substance use disorders, how to distinguish between mental illness, intellectual disability and substance use disorders, how to respond appropriately in a variety of situations involving person with mental illness, intellectual disability and substance use disorders, conflict resolution and de-escalation techniques for potentially dangerous situations, appropriate language usage when interacting with potentially emotionally distressed persons, resources available to serve persons with mental illness or intellectual disabilities, and will include the perspective of individuals and families who have experiences with person with mental illness, intellectual disability and substance use disorders.

This course will be made available by June 30, 2017 to meet the legislative deadline.  All FTOs appointed after January 1, 2017 will be required to take the 8-hour course within 180 days of that appointment.

This program is supported by Strategic Plan Objective A.1, California law enforcement agencies are prepared to address emerging trends and challenges.