Contacts:
Martha Plotkin: 240.482.8579, mplotkin@csg.org Laura Draper: 646.383.5722, ldraper@csg.org March 16, 2010 Immediate Release
Law Enforcement Responses to People with Mental Illnesses: Customizing Responses to Jurisdictions’ Needs and Characteristics New York—The Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center released a new publication today that demonstrates there is no one-size-fits-all approach for law enforcement responses to people with mental illnesses. A growing number of communities are implementing Specialized Policing Responses (SPRs) that are designed to improve outcomes for everyone involved in these incidents. Although there are many common elements to SPRs, there are also important differences across jurisdictions that should be reflected in the design of any law enforcement-mental health initiative. Improving Responses to People with Mental Illnesses: Tailoring Law Enforcement Initiatives to Individual Jurisdictions is the result of a project supported by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, U.S. Department of Justice, and was conducted in partnership with the Police Executive Research Forum. It explores the program design process for a variety of SPR models—including crisis intervention teams, law enforcement/mental health co-response teams, and case management approaches—that take into account such factors as jurisdiction size, demographics, mental health and law enforcement agency resources, and relevant state laws. It also considers how the design may vary depending on the type of problem (such as officer and public safety, frequent repeat calls for service, inefficient or ineffective use of resources, and poor outcomes for people with mental illnesses) that jurisdiction leaders most want to address. Quotes from practitioners and examples from several communities from across the country are included, along with detailed lessons learned from four jurisdictions selected for on-site study: • • • •
Akron, Ohio Fort Wayne, Ind. Los Angeles, Calif. New River Valley, Va.
“Law enforcement officers find that calls involving people with mental illnesses can be tremendously complex and require a response that reflects the laws, resources and other distinct characteristics of a jurisdiction,” said San Francisco Police Chief and Justice Center board member George Gascón. “This guide takes into consideration that an urban agency like mine, with thousands of officers, will need to devise responses that may differ significantly from the approaches designed for a small, rural agency that may have no accessible mental health resources.” Improving Responses to People with Mental Illnesses: Tailoring Law Enforcement Initiatives to Individual Jurisdictions is available as a free download at www.consensusproject.org/jc_publications/tailoring_le_responses or www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA/pdf/CSG_LE_Tailoring.pdf. Additional resources can be found at www.consensusproject.org/issue_areas/law-enforcement. Hard copies can be ordered while supplies last through NCJRS at www.ncjrs.gov (NCJ 229713). It is the third in a series that addresses law enforcement and mental health issues—a companion to the Essential Elements of a Specialized Law Enforcement–Based Program and Strategies for Effective Law Enforcement Training. The Council of State Governments Justice Center is a national nonprofit organization that serves policymakers at the local, state, and federal levels from all branches of government. The Justice Center provides practical, nonpartisan advice and consensus-driven strategies, informed by available evidence, to increase public safety and strengthen communities.