Interacting with Persons

Who May Have

Mental Health Issues

Our Goal

Our MissionMG

Improve knowledge base and skills of officers dealing with mentally ill people in crisis

Build bridges between mental health and law enforcement

Law Enforcement Liaisons

Is It a Police Emergency?

911 is your best friend!

Some of the information needed:Who you areWhere you areNature of the callDescription of the partyWhat the party is doing/saying/telling youAny weapons involvedAnyone injuredCall-back number

Is It a Police Emergency? (cont.)

Always try to remain calm when providing information

Be a good witness

Your safety and the safety of others is paramount!

The Fact and Fiction of Mental Illness

What Some Believe… The Fact is…

They must be cared for; can’t make their

own decisions

They are less intelligent

They are resistant to treatment and difficult

to engage

They are capable and have a right to make their own

decisions

No, it is the symptoms of mental illness

No, the needs of the mentally ill are just more

complex

The Fact and Fiction of Mental Illness

What Some Believe… The Fact is…

Mental illness is a life-long disease with no

cure

Recovery possible; they can and do lead productive lives

People with mental illness are more prone

to violent acts

Studies have shown only a weak association between

mental illness and violence

However there is an increased risk when

alcohol or drug use is involved

Please Remember…

If an individual is having a mental health crisis:

The person may be overwhelmed by thoughts, beliefs, sounds (voices)

A person’s delusions or hallucinations are real to them

A rational discussion may not take place

Communication:Your Most Effective Tool

7% of communication is verbal

93% of communication is not communicated by spoken words

When communicating always keep this in mind:

Sometimes is is not about the words but how you

say the words… Your posture, your mannerisms The words themselves

Time can be your friend. It may:

Help reduce stress and anxiety

Increase rationality

Decrease emotions

Person may “surrender”

Allow you to gain more information to better enable responding law enforcement and EMS personnel to do their job

If You Can Slow the Event Down…

Think about using verbal pacing techniques…

Sensory: “I sense you are angry”

Visual: “I see that you need help”

Auditory: “I hear what you are saying”

Regarding Your Interactions

Attempt to get the individual talking so that you can fully understand why they are angry

Announce actions before taking them

Be friendly, patient, accepting and encouraging but remain professional

Get immediate emergency aid when needed

Never promise anything you cannot do

During Your Interactions

Steps for Successful Crisis Resolution

1

•Active Listening

2•E

mpathy

3•R

apport

4•Inf

luence

5

•Behavioral Change

Identification with, and an understanding of another’s situation, feelings and motives

Building trust to solve the crisis

A willingness on the part of the person to accept suggestions and a course of action

A willingness on the part of the person to follow your suggestions

Hearing and understanding what is being said to you

Appear confident

Display calmness

Create some space

Speak slowly, gently and clearly

Lower your voice

Indicate a willingness to understand and help

Show that you are listening

Diffusion Strategies

Speak simply, move slowly

Do not challenge them

Show that you are paying attention

Calm the person and assure s/he feels heard before trying to solve the problem

Always attempt to gain voluntary compliance

Do not insult them

Diffusion Strategies (cont.)

Interactions & Problem Solving

Ask the person to slow down Don’t demand answers Give the person enough personal

space Reassure person there is time to

sort the situation out Can you remove the source of

agitation/anxiety?

Set limits on behavior Be aware of threatening statements

and take them seriously

If you seethis…

What might help…

Anxiety/Agitation

Aggressive/InappropriateBehavior

Interactions & Problem Solving

If you see this…

What might help…

Do not argue with hallucinations or delusions

Accept that this is what the person believes or perceives

Support reality based statements Do not encourage statements that

are not real Be careful with use of touch

Allow person to formulate a response

Be patient

HallucinationsDelusions

Loss of Contactw/Reality

Slow Response

Interactions & Problem Solving

If you seethis…

What might help…

DifficultyEstablishingDirectedActivity

Make expectations clear and concise Help person identify meaningful

tasks and break these down into doable tasks

DifficultyMaking Decisions

Limit number of decisions to be made Take a directive stance that relate to a

person’s safety

ExaggeratedResponse

Use clear concise questions and statements

If you seethis…

What might help…

Interactions & Problem Solving

Allow person to vent Allow person to cry Help in problem solving and

making changes in behavior that will have an impact on feelings

Word sentences in simple terms Ask one question at a time Allow person time to form an

answer/response

DepressionFrustrationLonelinessGuilt

DisorganizedIllogicalThinking

Express anger/irritation

or shout

Mislead person

Assume they cannot hear

you

Use inflammatory

language

Force discussions

Move suddenly

Challenge delusions/halluci

nations

Be very careful w/ your use of

touch

It is NOT personal

Avoid Doing These Things

• Protect yourself with distance, avoid being surrounded and maintain an open line of flight

• Never physically engage the person you are confronting

• Never argue with an intoxicated person - it may lead to a physical confrontation

• Never agree to meet the intoxicated person elsewhere or outside

• If your physical safety is threatened, call for assistance

Rules for Personal Safety

If I think it is a person with mental health issues…

…would the situation best be resolved with police assistance?

For Emergencies call 911Non-Emergencies use police business line