Congratulations to the following agencies for recently taking the pledge!

• Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, AL
• Lincoln City University Police Department, MO
• Berkeley County Sheriff's Office, WV
• Belton Police Department, MO
• Children's National Hospital Police Department, DC 
• Appleton Police Department, WI 
• Englewood Police Department, NJ
• Woodstock Police Department, GA
• Barre City Police Department, VT
• Toronto Police Service, ON, Canada

If your agency has recently completed the pledge, please email us at [email protected].

Congratulations to the following agencies for recently completing the pledge!

• Stockbridge Police Department, GA
• Methuen Police Department, MA
• Thorton Police Department, CO
• Plymouth Police Department, MI
• Middletown Police Department, RI
• North Shore Community College Police Department, MA
• Southfield Police Department, MI
• Perry Police Department, GA
• Saranac Lake Police Department, NY 
• Williamsburg Police Department, VA

21% of American adults are experiencing a mental health condition. That’s just over 68 million Americans.¹

32% of repeat offenders arrested two to three times had a history of mental health conditions. ²

40% of repeat offenders arrested four to ten times also had a history of mental health conditions. ³

65% to 70% of justice-involved youth have at least one diagnosable mental health condition, and just over 60% met the criteria for three or more diagnoses.⁴

In 2019 the United States had a reported 2,700 Crisis Intervention Training programs.⁵ Only about 15% to 17% of the total number of police agencies.⁶

In 2015, about 23% of individuals involved in fatal encounters with law enforcement had either signs of a mental health condition or were officially diagnosed.⁷

Sources
¹Douglas Richesson and Jennifer M. Hoenig, “Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States: Results from the 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health,” SAMHSA, October 2021, https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/reports/rpt35325/NSDUHFFRPDFWHTMLFiles2020/2020NSDUHFFR1PDFW102121.pdf
² Jennifer Bronson and Marcus Berzofsky, “Indicators of Mental Health Problems Reported by Prisoners and Jail Inmates, 2011-12,” Bureau of Justice Statistics, June 2017, https://bjs.ojp.gov/content/pub/pdf/imhprpji1112.pdf
³ Ibid
⁴ Jennie L. Shufelt and Joseph J. Cocozza, “Youth with Mental Health Disorders in the Juvenile Justice System: Results from a Multi-State Prevalence Study,” Office of Justice Programs (2006): 1-6, accessed January 24, 2022. https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/youth-mental-health-disorders-juvenile-justice-system-results-multi
⁵ “National Model,” CIT Center, University of Memphis CIT Center, accessed on January 24, 2022, http://www.cit.memphis.edu/overview.php?page=7
⁶ Michael S. Rogers, Dale E. McNiel, and Renée L. Binder, “Effectiveness of Police Crisis Intervention Training Programs,” Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and Law 49, no. 4 (2019): 1-8. http://jaapl.org/content/early/2019/09/24/JAAPL.003863-19
⁷ Aman Z. Saleh et al., “Deaths of People with Mental Illness During Interactions with Law Enforcement,” International Journal of Law and Psychiatry 58 (2018): 110-116. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160252717301954?casa_token=FxmK3bCcxRkAAAAA:bofWv1nsi2k-10cpk67K-NdKWw2ZslUAva0Vt-ns38sTzaGgR1AkYkcHB6U3wthv73fod6d6Ng

1. What type of course meets the Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) requirement?

   A: Mental Health First Aid for Public Safety course meets all the requirements applicable to the pledge. In addition, other related 8-hour courses will qualify if the same or similar topics are covered, such as defusing crises, promoting mental health literacy, combating the stigma of mental illness, enabling early intervention through recognizing signs and symptoms, and connecting people to care. If you are looking at an alternative course to meet the MHFA requirements, you must first reach out to the IACP at [email protected] for equivalency approval.

2. What type of course meets the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) requirements? 

   A: The Memphis Model of Crisis Intervention Team training meets all the requirements applicable to the pledge. In addition, other related 40-hour courses will qualify if the same or similar topics are covered. Such as co-occurring disorders, suicide prevention, policies and procedures, personality disorders, rights/civil commitment, community resources, de-escalation training, and situational role play, and more. If you are looking at an alternative course to meet the CIT requirements, you must first reach out to the IACP at [email protected] for equivalency approval.  

3. Would ICAT (Integrating Communications, Assessment, and Tactics) be considered equivalent to the MHFA training?

   A: No.

4. Would QPR (Question, Persuade, and Refer) be considered equivalent to MHFA training?

   A: No.

5. Could the training be recorded so staff can be trained without scheduling additional events?

   A: In-person training is preferred because discussions, role plays, and questions are more effective and interactive in that format. While recorded training are acceptable when complying with social distancing and remote work during COVID-19, we recommend these classes be attended in-person to receive the best possible learning results.

6. Pledge requirements state that a minimum of 20% of sworn officers (and selected non-sworn staff) need to receive Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training or equivalent. Does 20% refer to all sworn staff or all department staff?

   A: The 20% figure is calculated based on the total number of sworn staff. For example, if you have 100 sworn staff, you must train 20 sworn staff in CIT (or equivalent). You are welcome to train more than the required 20%. We recommend training any other personnel that would benefit.

7. How should non-sworn staff be selected for training?

   A: The determination concerning non-sworn staff who are trained is up to the agency. We recommend training any staff that the agency determines would benefit. Some examples include dispatchers or administrative staff.

8. What if training certifications have expired?

   A: We recommend completing a refresher course to bring certifications up to date.

9. How does an agency verify it is compliant with the pledge requirements?

   A: Once an agency has completed the pledge, we require a letter from the Chief or another member of the Command Staff on official letterhead detailing how the agency has completed the pledge requirements and including detailed information substantiating completion. At a minimum, the letter should state how the necessary training requirements have been met, the nature of the partnership the agency has developed with a mental health service provider, and the main components of the agency’s policy on law enforcement response to individuals experiencing a crisis or mental health disorder. We recommend including a copy of your agency’s policy on law enforcement response to individuals experiencing a crisis or mental health disorder and a copy of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with your partner agency.

10. Does an agency need to send in certificates or training records?

    A: We do not require certificates or copies of training records, but agencies should include sufficient detail in the completion letter to verify that they have met the requirements.

The Police-Mental Health Collaboration (PMHC) Toolkit: Produced by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) this toolkit provides essential resources for law enforcement agencies to partner with mental health providers to form a lasting relationship that benefits both the community and agency.

The revised Responding to Persons Experiencing a Mental Health Crisis (2018): Issued by the IACP this model policy highlights the unique challenges when responding to people in crisis with mental health disorders and/or developmental disabilities, and provides guidance, techniques, and resources so that police officers can effectively respond. The supplemental Concepts and Issues Paper was designed to guide police executives "in their efforts to tailor the model policy to the requirements and circumstances of their community and their law enforcement agency."

Mental Health First Aid is a skills-based training course that teaches participants about mental health and substance-use issues. More importantly, it’s a tool that public health leaders across the United States have begun to employ to engage in early detection and intervention around the signs and symptoms of specific illnesses. The primer provides concrete tools and engagement with local mental health resources, national organizations, support groups and online tools for mental health and addiction treatment and support. Find a MHFA course.

Crisis Intervention Team International: The Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) program is a collaborative initiative between law enforcement officers and mental health experts who jointly provide crisis intervention for individuals in crisis with mental health disorders and/or developmental disabilities, and who focus on diversion and treatment over arrest and incarceration. Find a CIT course.

The Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has released a step-by-step guide to assist communities in evaluating their CIT programs.

Listed below are non-law enforcement organizations that support the One Mind Campaign. The campaign is grateful to have their support in the mission to improve law enforcement response to persons with mental health conditions.

911 Sane Jane, Inc.
Atlanta, GA

The California Police Activities League
Sacramento, CA

Massachusetts Constable's Office
Sandwich, MA