Emerging partnerships between mental health and law enforcement.
Police departments in the 194 U.S. cities with a population of 100,000 or more were surveyed in 1996 to identify strategies they used to obtain input from the mental health system about dealing with mentally ill persons. A total of 174 departments responded (90 percent). Ninety-six departments had no specialized response for dealing with mentally ill persons. Among the 78 departments with special programs, three basic strategies were found: a police-based specialized police response, a police-based specialized mental health response, and a mental-health-based specialized mental health response. At least two-thirds of all departments, even those with no specialized response program, rated themselves as moderately or very effective in dealing with mentally ill persons in crisis.
Deane
M W
MW
Policy Research Associates, Inc., Delmar, New York 12054, USA. mdeane@prainc.com
Steadman
H J
HJ
Borum
R
R
Veysey
B M
BM
Morrissey
J P
JP
D003134:Commitment of Persons with Psychiatric Disorders / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D003419:Crisis Intervention; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D016495:Police; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D014481:United States