Telecommunicators must be prepared to deal with situations involving a person experiencing mental health issues/crisis and know how to respond to these situations. There is no denying the high volume of such calls and the significant number of reoccurring encounters with people experiencing mental health issues.
Learning Goal:
Telecommunicators will be able to choose an appropriate course of action in dealing with individuals with mental illnesses.
Exposure to the classroom strategies will enhance the Telecommunicator’s ability to determine an appropriate response to the situation at hand. Applying the skills addressed in class will help begin to de-escalate a crisis, and enhance officer/ responder safety as well as public safety, in turn reducing the potential for civil and criminal liability.
Topics:
- Examine the behaviors associated with mental health disorders:
- Anxiety Disorder
- Panic Disorder
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- Depression
- Bipolar Disorder
- Schizophrenia
- Post- Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Self-Injury
- Discuss the needs of an individual & family members diagnosed with a mental health disorder through live and recorded presentations
- Relate to someone with schizophrenia “hearing voices” using MP3 audio simulation
- Identify the needs of an individual diagnosed with a mental health disorder through live and recorded presentations
- Discuss medication side effects and reasons why people stop taking their medication
- Discuss the role of a CIT officer and/or Mental Health Court [If available in your area]
- Explain available local, state and national resources
- Define ‘Crisis’ as it pertains to 911 and its impact on communication
- Discuss active listening
- Identify specific communication techniques with review of relevant 9-1-1 calls
- Examine physiological effects of sedentary work, vicarious trauma, and self-care techniques
