Recommendations for Implementation

Criminal justice practitioners have often observed that a generic training program intended for anyone working in the criminal justice system is of little value.  For example, when a generic training program discusses people with mental illness in the community, correctional officers are likely to view the material as largely irrelevant.

Various authorities could prompt a training initiative by singling out a particular segment of personnel in the criminal justice or mental health systems who should develop an improved understanding of issues concerning mental health and the criminal justice system.  For example, the chief executive of a department or agency may decide that his or her entire department, or a particular subset of the organization, needs training.  A corrections commissioner may choose to require certain staff, such as those responsible for intake mental health screening, to receive more intensive and specialized mental health training, in addition to the pre-service and in-service training provided to all uniformed staff.  In other cases, an internal curriculum development committee may arrive independently at that same decision.  In still other jurisdictions, a cross-system coalition, task force, or some other body that reflects a partnership among various stakeholders in the criminal justice and mental health systems may determine that a particular constituency needs training.

Small, rural communities, which often do not have the resources to develop and implement training initiatives for one constituency within the criminal justice system, should consider coordinating with neighboring jurisdictions.  For example, it may be only be feasible to train probation officers in a small rural county if probation officials in neighboring communities agree to include their staff among the trainees and supply resources to make the training possible.

 Training criminal justice or mental health personnel alone is not sufficient to implement many of the recommendations in this report.  Indeed, prospective training audiences should be expanded to include nontraditional audiences; educating consumers, their families, victim advocates, public policymakers, and even the public at large, is essential.  For example, family members and friends of people with mental illness should be educated about the type and amount of information they should convey to dispatchers when making a call for police service and how to encourage a loved one who is incarcerated to seek treatment.  Victim advocates need to be in a position to explain simply but thoughtfully to crime victims the conditions of release imposed on a probationer or parolee with mental illness.

A committee or task force can broaden the knowledge base of the individuals involved in guiding training for a particular department or system.  It also provides a mechanism through which criminal justice agencies and mental health practitioners, consumers, family members, and other stakeholders can collaborate to educate personnel in various departments.

The chief executive of the criminal justice agencies (e.g., police chief executive, sheriff, director of public safety, presiding judge, court administrator, jail administrator, corrections director), whose employees may be the primary target audience for the training, should oversee the formation of the task force, in consultation with the corresponding mental health authority.  This level of involvement from top-ranking decision makers conveys to all subordinate staff the importance and value of the training program.  It also helps to ensure that, ultimately, the person or division within an agency charged with coordinating training activities will likely be responsible for administering any training initiative that is developed by a cross-system task force.

A task force should have diverse membership that includes representatives of other criminal justice agencies, departments, state and local mental health agencies, and mental health service providers to identify or tap resources (e.g., facilities, training materials, trainers) that might not otherwise be available to the initiative.  Given the different situations faced by jurisdictions, the precise number and type of task force members will vary locally.  Critical stakeholders for training development can include representatives from law enforcement, the judiciary, prosecution, defense, pretrial services, probation, mental health prosecutors, community mental health professionals, substance abuse treatment providers, family members, victim advocates, consumers (especially those who have been incarcerated), and corrections personnel.

Example:  Forensic Intervention Consortium, Albuquerque (NM)

This interagency partnership resolves issues and barriers that people with mental illness face who become, or are at risk of becoming, involved in the criminal justice system.  The consortium unites consumers, their family members, representatives of law enforcement and judicial agencies, treatment providers, advocates, and other representatives from the community. The consortium supports The Albuquerque Crisis Intervention Team (CIT), and CIT members are trained by consumers, family members and mental health professionals on de-escalation techniques, assessing consumer's history, medication information and support systems, and the use of pre-trial servicesthat are sensitive to consumer needs.

Example:  Mental Health Task Force, Fort Lauderdale (FL)

Established in 1994, this task force brings together community leaders from the criminal justice, mental health, and law enforcement communities to tackle concerns regarding the treatment, management, and community placements of defendants with mental illness. As a result of the task force's success, a mental health court was established in Broward County, Florida, to address the needs of people with mental illness.  The role of the task force was expanded in 1997 to create five subgroups (consisting of representatives from law enforcement, criminal justice, and mental health) that identify solutions to various obstacles facing people with mental illness in the criminal justice system. The subgroups' objectives are the integration of community-based mental health systems into the criminal justice system, and the appropriate diversion of consumers from arrest and incarceration.

Before the training committee can begin developing the training curriculum and identifying trainers, members must determine what outcomes they expect from the training.  For example, the goal may be to implement a particular policy statement in this report, or it may be more general, such as reducing the stigma associated with mental illness or reducing the number of police referrals to detention that could more effectively be diverted to the mental health system.  Training goals should be based on improving awareness and developing particular competencies.  Specific goals for different training audiences are discussed in more depth in the subsequent policy statements and recommendations.  One goal that should underlie any training initiative is to help criminal justice and mental health personnel better understand the components and methodologies of the different systems.  This is especially important at the outset of an effort to improve collaboration between the two systems.

The coordinators of a training initiative should determine what training materials already exist in agency curricula to address the specified goals and objectives, where deficiencies exist, and where additional community resources can be brought to bear.  Before developing training for their Crisis Intervention Teams, for example, the Montgomery County, Maryland, Police Department enlisted the help of NAMI to conduct a needs assessment.  The assessment helped the department identify areas in which training was needed and community resources that could assist with that process.

Once the agency has identified the gaps in its existing training, the committee should tap all available resources for developing the material. For example, agencies should solicit training materials from other agencies or programs.  Materials that are obtained from other agencies should be tailored to the unique needs of the jurisdiction.  Jurisdictions should build on the successes of others and then, based on their own needs assessment, shape the training. This should all be done in partnership with relevant stakeholders.

Example:  Roanoke County (VA) Police Department

When the Roanoke County Police Department wanted to develop a CIT program, the county sent a sergeant and a mental health practitioner to Albuquerque, New Mexico, to observe their 40-hour training class.  The team left with the PowerPoint® outline and notes of the Albuquerque training.  They presented these materials to the relevant stakeholders in Roanoke and adapted it to the needs of their community.

Local colleges and universities often are an excellent resource in developing training programs for criminal justice and mental health personnel.  Not only do academic institutions frequently have experience with cross-training strategies, but they also help to minimize the cost of implementing the training initiative.  In addition, the involvement of academic partners may prompt research projects and grant proposals, which can improve knowledge in the field and bring attention to successful training and collaborative endeavors.

Substance abuse treatment programs that work with people arrested, detained, or incarcerated are likely to have experience developing cross-trainings.  Given the three-way overlap among issues of criminal justice, mental health, and substance abuse, involving these programs is likely to greatly enrich the training.  Community mental health centers and other local partners, such as board members of local advocacy groups like NAMI and mental health associations, also may be able to donate space for training, training materials, and staff time.

Example:  Seminole County (FL) Sheriff's Department

When it became unfeasible for the Seminole County Sheriff's Department to hold their own 40-hour training course, deputies were sent to the Florida Regional Community Policing Institute to participate in their training on responding to people with mental illness.