HEALTH CARE CAMPAIGN: Improving Mental Health Crisis Response in the Valley

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Background on the Campaign

After some research, the KVO Health Care Team identified mental health crisis response as a specific issue of concern. They have met with mental health advocates, service providers, family members, and law enforcement agencies who all agree that a vital piece of a comprehensive system for responding to people in mental health crisis is having more police and other first responders who are trained specifically to handle these situations.

The Health Care Team also learned about Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training, an innovative program offered by NAMI-Maine to law enforcement officers across the state that brings officers in closer relationship with local mental health service providers and teaches them how to recognize and defuse situations involving people in mental health crisis, including suicidal depression, delusions, and violent behavior.

CIT training has had tremendous and measurable impact in the areas where it has been implemented, including Portland. Some documented outcomes include:

• Decreased officer injury rates;

• Decreased use of force;

• Decreased seclusion and restraint in emergency rooms;

• Decreased arrest rates of mentally ill individuals

  • Portland: a study of 1465 CIT contacts found a 2% arrest rate, compared to rough national average of 20%

• Increased compliance with community services [treatment].

Unfortunately, only a handful of police officers in the Kennebec Valley have had the opportunity to receive this important training. KVO initiated a campaign to ensure that law enforcement agencies and other first responders up and down the Valley are given the resources necessary to take advantage of CIT training.