In May 2009, the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), in collaboration with the Bureau of Justice Assistance of the U.S. Department of Justice, JEHT Foundation, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration of the Department of Health and Human Services hosted a National Policy Summit on Building Safer Communities: Improving Police Response to Persons with Mental Illness.

The goal of the summit was to begin a dialogue resulting in recommendations for local, state, federal, and tribal organizations that will improve the safety of community members and law enforcement officers when responding to crisis calls involving a person with mental illness. These recommendations are intended to reduce trauma, injury, or death during mental health crisis calls and to promote dialogue between law enforcement, community providers, and partners that will sustain short and long term improvement in crisis call response, treatment, and recovery around the United States.