Miami Dade Crisis Intervention

Quick Facts:

Name of coordinating law enforcement agency:
Miami Dade Corections and Rehabilition Department
Approximate number of officers in agency:
1900
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:
65

Miami Dade Crisis Intervention

Contact:

Name:
Ofc. Michael Urbistondo
Title:
Crisis Intervention Team Coordinator
Organization:
Miami Dade Corections and Rehabilition Department
Address:
2525 nw 62 street
Miami, FL
Email:
m656@miamidade.gov
Phone:
786-263-5988

Agency Information

Name of coordinating law enforcement agency:
Miami Dade Corections and Rehabilition Department
Type of government that operates law enforcement agency:
Township
Approximate number of officers in agency:
1900

Specialized Response Description

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:
Police officers are trained to provide crisis intervention services and to act as liaisons to the mental health system.
Background information:
This program is a spin off,from the Police Crisis Intervention Team program. This program is for Correctional officers when inmates with a mental illness enters the jail systerm.
Total number of officers in program:
65
Catchment area:
The entire jurisdiction
Staff supported by funding:

    Program Partners and Personnel

    Existence of planning and oversight committee:
    Yes, formerly
    Committee participants:
  • Law enforcement line-level staff
  • Law enforcement supervisory-level staff
  • Law enforcement leadership
  • Mental health (and/or substance abuse) line-level staff
    • Mental health or advocacy agencies that participate in program:
    DCF
    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

    Training on Mental Health Issues

    Types of training on mental health issues:
  • Pre-service training for new recruits at the academy
  • Basic in-service training for all patrol officers
  • 24
    • Number of officers who receive advanced training:
    51-100
    Groups who conducts advanced training:
    • Mental health professionals (crisis workers)
    Advanced training topics:
  • Recognizing symptoms of mental illness, and clinical issues
  • Co-occurring disorders
  • Psychiatric medications
  • Legal issues concerning individuals with mental illness
  • De-escalation techniques
  • Less lethal use of force options
  • Suicide prevention
    • Advanced training methods:
    • Presentations (including panels, lectures, and/or PowerPoints)
    • Role plays
    • Videotapes
    • Virtual reality/computerized simulations of mental illness symptoms

    Response Procedures

    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
  • Record information in a field encounter form, or other form used to document every citizen encounter
  • Record information in an arrest report
  • Record information in log maintained by mental health personnel at the crisis drop-off location or by some other mental health organization
    • Mental health professional available to support police responder:
  • Yes, remotely by telephone or dispatch (e.g. a crisis worker or psychiatric emergency room personnel)
    • 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
    • The person is being brought to a crisis center or other health care facility for stabilization or medications management
    Officers allowed to transport a person without handcuffs:
    No
    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?
    Yes
    Location of drop-off center(s):
  • Psychiatric emergency / crisis center
  • Psychiatric emergency room in general hospital
    • Drop-off center accepts people with co-occurring substance abuse disorders:
    Yes
    Length of time for drop-off and return to patrol:
    21-30 minutes

    Program Sustainability

    Data collection:
    Yes
    Published evaluation:
    No
    Local media coverage:
    No
    Legislative funding or support:
    No
    About this information:

    A program representative provided this information details through a detailed survey.

    For more information on the survey, read about our methodology or download a pdf of the full survey.

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