interacting with persons who may have mental health issues
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Interacting with Persons Who May Have Mental Health Issues. Our Goal. Law Enforcement Liaisons. M. Our Mission. Improve knowledge base and skills of officers dealing with mentally ill people in crisis. G. Build bridges between mental health and law enforcement. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
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 yousay 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 •Empathy
3 •Rapport
4 •Influence
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/halluc
inations
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