Specialized Police-Based Mental Health Crisis Response: The First 10 Years of Colorados Crisis Intervention Team Implementation Psychiatric Services

• NCJ Number: 252539
• Journal: Psychiatric Services Volume: 69 Issue: 2 Dated: 2018 Pages: 239-241
• Author(s): Hari-Mandir K. Khalsa; Attila C. Denes; Diane M. Pasini-Hill; Jeffrey C. Santelli; Ross J. Baldessarini
• Date Published: 2018
• Length: 3 pages
• Grant Number(s): D21DB15a531
• Sponsoring Agency: Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation; Program/Project Description
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study examined the implementation of crisis intervention teams by law enforcement agencies in Colorado.

Abstract

Rates of Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) use, arrests, use of force, and injuries were assessed during 6,353 incidents involving individuals experiencing a mental health crisis. Relationships among original complaint, psychiatric illness, substance abuse, violence risk, and disposition of crisis calls were analyzed. Rates of SWAT use (<1 percent), injuries (<1 percent), arrests (<5 percent), and use of force (<5 percent) were low. The relative risk of transfer to treatment (versus no transfer) was significantly higher for incidents involving psychiatric illness, suicide threat or attempt, weapons, substance abuse, and violence potential. Use of force or SWAT, arrests, and injuries were infrequent. Suicide risk, psychiatric illness, and substance abuse, even in the presence of a weapon or violence threat, increased the odds of transfer to treatment; whereas, suicide risk lowered the odds of transfer to jail. (publisher abstract modified)