How to Improve Collaboration: Using the right language when enlisting the help of law enforcement.

1. How to Improve Collaboration: Using
the right language when enlisting the
help of law enforcement
Jeanie Paradise, M.A., LPC
The Center for Health Care Services
Deputy Toni Stanfield-Mims
Bexar County Sheriff’s Office
International CIT Conference
Vegas 2012
Reference: Texas Commission on Law Enforcement
Officer Standards and Education (TCLEOSE)

2.  Every situation is different so these tips may not
resolve your current situation every time but may
help you build a more collaborative relationship
with your law enforcement agency and in time
improve your outcomes.

3. Elements of Texas Jail Diversion H.B. 2292
 Educate law enforcement personnel and the courts
 Develop the following:
 Crisis Intervention Training (CIT)
 A centralized location for mental health assessments in lieu of
arrest for individuals with non-violent criminal conduct
 Holding facilities providing structured treatment in lieu of arrest
 Linking and referral services
TCLEOSE
 Timely and effective screening process

4. Elements of Texas Jail Diversion H.B. 2292
 Required community support
 An identified method for addressing housing and needed
support services
 Pre-booking diversion occurs at first contact with law
enforcement,
 Prior to any formal charges
 CIT and Crisis Center
 Post booking divert consumers after they have been booked. A
plan is then created for implementation upon consumer’s
release from jail.

5. TCLEOSE
 People with mental  People with MI should
illness who commit not be arrested
crimes with criminal because of their
intent, unrelated to mental disorder
symptoms of mental  They should not be
illness should be held
accountable for their detained in jails or
actions as would prisons longer than
anyone else. others because of
their illness.

6. Jail Diversion Concepts Facts:
 Calls for police TCLEOSE
services in which
mental illness is a
factor make up
between 7% and 10%
of all police contacts
and continue to pose
significant operational
problems for the police
 National analyses has
demonstrated that
diverted clients have
significantly lower
criminal justice costs
than non-diverted
clients.

7. TCLEOSE
Jail Diversion Benefits:
 Decriminalization of  Length of stay in jails
persons with mental shortened in lieu of
illness increased access to
 The problem of over treatment
representation of  Violence and
people with mental victimization is
illness in the criminal reduced
justice system is  Costs incurred by
addressed taxpayers when a
 Reduced person with a mental
hospitalization illness is arrested,
 Increased public incarcerated, and/or
safety hospitalized are
addressed.

8. Law Enforcement Mental Health
TCLEOSE
Works With: Perpetrators, Defendants Patients, Clients or Consumers
and Offenders
Institutions: Jails and Prisons: Hospitals: pressure to reduce
utilization and rely on community
resources
Emphasis: Public Safety Least Restrictive Alternative
Deals with…. Behavior Illness
Uses… Authoritarian and
Adversarial Team Approach, not sure who is in charge
Deals with… Recidivism where common and Chronic illnesses where relapse is
not expected common
Views…. Mental Health Individuals as Law Enforcement individuals as
odd autocratic

9. Cont. Law Enforcement Mental Health
TCLEOSE
Views… Mental Health as fuzzy thinkers, Law Enforcement as world of
too process oriented and takes rigid thinkers, make decisions
too long to reach a conclusion. too quickly, see everything in
Everything gray. Black and white, fail to
appreciate debilitating nature
of MI.
Both look at Chaotic and impossible to Chaotic and impossible to
Others worlds understand indecipherable understand and indecipherable
As……….. Jargon used to confuse other. jargon used to confuse the
other.
Feels……. Not appreciated for the pressure Unappreciated for pressure it is
they are under to deal with the under to care for endless
endless stream of perpetrators, stream of patients it is asked
defendants and victims. To serve.

10. TCLEOSE
Biases
 These biases interfere with
working together. But do we
have more in common then we
think?
 Both care about the people we
serve
 want to live more productive
and happier lives
 to protect the world
 fear the newspaper headlines
involving one of their
“customers”.

11. It has been long recognized
that Law Enforcement
collaborative agreements
with Mental Health agencies
is the key approach in dealing
with the national Mental
Health service crisis.
There is a direct link between
inadequate mental health
services and the growing
number of mentally ill who are
incarcerated…CJ/MH
consensus project

12. TCLEOSE
First step to successful collaboration:
 Desire to work together on solutions.

13. 13

14. TCLEOSE
Collaboration:
 Perhaps the most
difficult challenge
is a willingness to
give up some  Time
degree of control
to allow for real  Commitment
collaboration.  Risk

15. Re-enactment Training Video

16. Strategic Helpful Tip:
Ultimate goal: serving the
individual!
Put the person’s needs before
your own.

17. Once you have offended an officer
how likely is he/she going to help?
 Set your own ego aside
 Ask for the Officer’s help
 Avoid telling an officer what to do
 Avoid talking down to an officer
 Avoid using your credentials as a
means to make them agree
 It’s best to use the art of suggestion

18. Helpful Tip:
Always get the Officer’s name and
badge number at the beginning of
the conversation rather than after
you’ve disagreed with him or her.

19. What happens after you’ve argued
and then ask for his/her name?
 This usually implies that you intend to file
a grievance or complain on the officer
 Problem with starting off that way is this is
the Officer’s assigned district and he/she
will be the person you will need to call on
for future assistance
 Developing a working relationship early on
is what is most helpful

20. Helpful Tips:
 Avoid buzz words that have a different
meaning for law enforcement.
 “Transport” is usually referred to in a court
order for transportation which in our county
is done by the Sheriff’s Office.
 If you feel it is unsafe for the consumer to
drive himself/herself to the hospital, or for
you to drive them, state the reasons
clearly. Keep the focus on SAFETY

21. Helpful Tips:
 Give the officer the opportunity to interview the
individual, doctor or other credible source if he/she
feels it is necessary
 In Texas, an officer can use a credible source to
obtain the information necessary for an Emergency
Detention. If you are the credible source, you can
not remain anonymous
 Often the officer prefers to speak to the consumer
directly
 Unless unsafe, you should allow this to occur

22. Example:
1. Thank the Officer for coming
Suggested:
“Thank you so much for coming out here
Officer, I could really use your help.”
Discouraged:
“Gosh we’ve been waiting over 2 hours, thank
God you finally got here!”

23. Helpful Tips:
2. Introduce yourself and your role
Suggested:
“Hi my name is Jeanie Paradise. I’m the
administrator in charge for the unit and this is
Sally. What was your name officer? And can
I please get your badge number for my
records?”
Discouraged:
“You need to do an emergency detention on her
and transport her to the hospital it’s 5:00 and
we are about to close the clinic.”

24. Example:
Explain the situation and how you need his/her help. Be
factual, concise and honest. Stay focused on the
individual’s needs and acuity not who’s right or
who’s wrong.
Suggested:
“I’m hoping you’ll consider an Emergency Detention for
Sally as I believe she is a danger to herself. She
came in today and told me she wanted to kill
herself. She said she would go home and take all of
her medication which she has stored up for several
months. Yesterday, her husband filed for divorce.
I’m worried about her safety and she does not want
to go to the hospital.”

25. Example:
Suggested:
“I’ve contacted the private hospital who has
agreed to evaluate the consumer. I’m just
really concerned that she will not make it
there. I’m worried she will wreck her car
since she is so upset. I don’t believe it is safe
for me to drive her since I’m worried she will
try and jump out of the car or that she will
change her mind once we get there and not
sign in.”
Again, focus on acuity and the consumer’s
needs.

26. Hesitant Officer?
 Sometimes despite what you believe clinically, the officer
may want to see the conduct for him or herself.
 In Texas, only a licensed peace officer or a Magistrate
Judge can issue an Emergency Detention but they can
use you as a credible source if they do not see the
behavior themselves. Ask the officer to consider using
you as the credible source for his emergency detention.
 Ask politely for the officer to consider consulting with their
supervisor .

27. Asking for a supervisor
Suggested:
“Would you consider contacting your supervisor
on this to get his/her opinion on what we
should do because I know I’m going to have
to contact my supervisor? I’m just concerned
about the consumer’s safety.”
 This is not the time to threaten to report the
officer. There is still time to use your
negotiation skills.

28. If you still disagree
 Try asking to speak to the officer’s supervisor yourself.
 Tread lightly and continue to negotiate.
 Stay focused on the individual’s safety (acuity symptoms) and
not your own needs, (such as the office is closing in 5 minutes,
or your own ego).
 Document the outcome with the officer well. Inform the officer
that you may need to call the officer back or call the dispatch
office back for further assistance.
 Professionally inform the officer and his supervisor that you
will be documenting the outcome and that it did not support
your clinical recommendation.

29. Avoid getting to this point

30. 573.001. APPREHENSION BY PEACE OFFICER WITHOUT
WARRANT.
 has reason to believe and does believe that: (A) the person is
mentally ill; and (B) because of that mental illness there is a
substantial risk of serious harm to the person or to others unless the
person is immediately restrained; and (2) believes that there is not
sufficient time to obtain a warrant before taking the person into
custody. (b) A substantial risk of serious harm to the person or
others under Subsection (a)(1)(B) may be demonstrated by: (1) the
person's behavior; or (2) evidence of severe emotional distress and
deterioration in the person's mental condition to the extent that the
person cannot remain at liberty. (c) The peace officer may form the
belief that the person meets the criteria for apprehension: (1) from a
representation of a credible person; or (2) on the basis of the
conduct of the apprehended person or the circumstances under
which the apprehended person is found. (d) A peace officer who
takes a person into custody under Subsection (a) shall immediately
transport the apprehended person to: (1) the nearest appropriate
inpatient mental health facility; or (2) a mental health facility deemed
suitable by the local mental health authority, if an appropriate
inpatient mental health facility is not available. (e) A jail or similar
detention facility may not be deemed suitable except in an extreme
emergency. (f) A person detained in a jail or a nonmedical facility
shall be kept separate from any person who is charged with or
convicted of a crime.

31. Contact Information
 Jeanie Paradise
 jparadise@chcsbc.org
 210-225-5481