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Interacting with People Experiencing a Mental Health Crisis

  • Coordinator: Cindy Taylor-Patch
  • Length of course: 1 Day (8 hours)
  • Course hours: 0800 – 1630
  • Dates/Locations:
    • March 20, 2017 at Essex Police Department
    • April 19th, 0830 - 1630, at the Windsor County Sheriff's Department
  • Tuition: Free

Email Director of Training Cindy Taylor-Patch for more information.

Course Description

Taught by experienced police officers and professionals from the disability services field, this course will cover a variety of issues surrounding this sometimes controversial topic.  Experts from many state and community agencies and advocates collaborated with VT officers to develop a curriculum that covers some basic ways to recognize a psychiatric or developmental disability and suggestions for positive ways to respond.  Our main purpose for offering this training is to promote officer safety and the safety of all others involved.  Other topics to be discussed include suicide risk factors, self-harming behaviors (ex. "cutting"), relevant laws and legal issues, stigma, resources and treatment options, and most importantly, de-escalation and communication skills.  Officers will gain the skills needed to professionally and effectively interact with people in crisis