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Iowa State University Police- Story County Mental Health Crisis Intervention Team

Name of coordinating law enforcement agency:: Iowa State University Police
Approximate number of officers in agency:: 130
Primary specialized response:: Police officers are trained to provide crisis intervention services and to act as liaisons to the mental health system.
Program start year:: 2005 or earlier
Total number of officers in program:: 20

Name of coordinating law enforcement agency:: Iowa State University Police
Type of government that operates law enforcement agency:: State Multi-jurisdicational team
Approximate number of officers in agency:: 130

Program start year:: 2005 or earlier
Primary specialized response:: Police officers are trained to provide crisis intervention services and to act as liaisons to the mental health system.
Secondary specialized response:: Mental health professionals partner with law enforcement officers to provide on-scene crisis intervention and referral.
Background information:: We selected and trained our first group of officers in the fall of 1998 and began operational assignments in January of 1999. The Story County CIT is staffed by officers from the Story County Sheriff's Office, City of Ames Police Department, Iowa State University Police Division and the Nevada Police Department.
Total number of officers in program:: 20
Number of people with mental illness served:: 101-200
Catchment area:: More than one jurisdiction
Funding source(s):: Police Department

Sheriff's Department
Staff supported by funding:: Law Enforcement Officer

Existence of planning and oversight committee:: No (please proceed to question 17)
Mental health or advocacy agencies that participate in program:: Alliance for the Mentally Ill of Central Iowa
Written agreement of roles and procedures:: No
Recruitment and selection:: Officers volunteer and some are selected.
Program coordinator/boundary spanner: Yes. The program coordinator represents a law enforcement agency
: same

Types of training on mental health issues:: Pre-service training for new recruits at the academy

8

Basic in-service training for all patrol officers

4

Basic in-service training for dispatchers and / or call takers

4

Advanced in-service training for select patrol officers

40
Number of officers who receive advanced training:: 1-50
Groups who conducts advanced training:: Police officers

Mental health professionals (crisis workers)

Medical professionals (doctors or nurses)

Consumers

Advocates

Family member of a person with mental illness
Advanced training topics:: Recognizing symptoms of mental illness, and clinical issues

Co-occurring disorders

Psychiatric medications

Community resources (mental health services, etc.)

Legal issues concerning individuals with mental illness

Legal issues concerning police officer liability

De-escalation techniques

Suicide prevention
Advanced training methods:: Presentations (including panels, lectures, and/or PowerPoints)

Role plays

Videotapes

Standardized dispatch questions:: Yes
Dispatch documentation:: Document in central computer database used for all calls, such as a Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system
Incident documentation by responding officer:: Relay information to dispatch who records it in general computer database used for all calls, such as a Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system
Use of information on individuals' mental illness stored in police records:: Information is used to facilitate referral and follow-up after field contacts.
Mental health professional available to support police responder:: Yes, both on-site and remotely
Officers permitted to transport people with mental illness to services when:: The person has volunteered to receive mental health treatment

The person is being brought to a hospital for emergency evaluation
Officers allowed to transport a person without handcuffs:: Depending on the department, the officer has discretion in this area.
Access to drop-off locations:: Yes. It is open 24 hours a day.
Procedure for streamlined intake and a "no refusal" policy for police referrals?: No
Drop-off center accepts people with co-occurring substance abuse disorders:: Yes
Length of time for drop-off and return to patrol:: More than 45 minutes

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