At the NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Convention, June 13-16, 2008, the Council of State Governments Justice Center provided a first look at the final version of Improving Responses to People with Mental Illnesses: The Essential Elements of a Specialized Law Enforcement–Based Program. The publication is the result of many rounds of rigorous review and describes the 10 important program elements that jurisdictions should consider when planning, implementing or enhancing a specialized law enforcement–based response.

Download The Essential Elements of a Specialized Law Enforcement–Based Program (PDF) for free.

As a growing number of communities grapple with implementing specialized law enforcement–based programs at the local level, there is an increased demand for more information on the key elements of promising programs. Several communities across the country have tried to identify critical program elements to promote consistency and quality. Until this BJA-supported effort, however, there had been limited debate or agreement at the national level about which elements were essential to successfully implement any specialized law enforcement–based response program—regardless of the specific model.

“As our appreciation grows for the important role that law enforcement plays in recognizing individuals in crisis and linking them to treatment, having clear guideposts for effective responses is critical. These essential elements provide that guidance,” said Ron Honberg, the National Director for Policy and Legal Affairs at NAMI.

The Essential Elements of a Specialized Law Enforcement–Based Program serves as the centerpiece of a series of resources for law enforcement practitioners and their community partners, which BJA has produced as part of the Law Enforcement/Mental Health Partnership Program. This program is coordinated by the CSG Justice Center in partnership with the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF).  The Improving Responses to People with Mental Illnesses series includes a collection of resources that will complement the Essential Elements: a practical handbook on implementing effective training strategies; a monograph on tailoring law enforcement responses to the unique needs of a jurisdiction, which will include specific examples from the field; and web-based information on statewide efforts to coordinate these law enforcement responses. Also available is an online database, the Criminal Justice/Mental Health Information Network, which includes profiles of local law enforcement responses to people with mental illnesses.

The Essential Elements of a Specialized Law Enforcement–Based Program and additional resources for law enforcement professionals and community partners can be found on the Consensus Project Law Enforcement webpage.