How should a CPO respond when someone is in a mental health crisis?

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Multiple Choice

How should a CPO respond when someone is in a mental health crisis?

When someone is in a mental health crisis, safety and appropriate support take precedence. The best approach is to prioritize safety, quickly assess the level of risk to the person and others, use calm, non-threatening communication to de-escalate the situation, bring in mental health professionals who have training to assess and support in crisis moments, and document what you did and why. This sequence helps prevent harm, ensures the person receives appropriate care, and provides accountability and continuity of care. Calling for medical transport without doing a risk assessment or de-escalation can miss opportunities to calm the situation and may not address underlying needs. Proceeding with an arrest without involving mental health experts ignores the crisis context and can escalate the situation. Delaying action until the person consents is not reliable in a crisis, and consent may not be possible to obtain; safety and timely access to appropriate care come first.

When someone is in a mental health crisis, safety and appropriate support take precedence. The best approach is to prioritize safety, quickly assess the level of risk to the person and others, use calm, non-threatening communication to de-escalate the situation, bring in mental health professionals who have training to assess and support in crisis moments, and document what you did and why. This sequence helps prevent harm, ensures the person receives appropriate care, and provides accountability and continuity of care.

Calling for medical transport without doing a risk assessment or de-escalation can miss opportunities to calm the situation and may not address underlying needs. Proceeding with an arrest without involving mental health experts ignores the crisis context and can escalate the situation. Delaying action until the person consents is not reliable in a crisis, and consent may not be possible to obtain; safety and timely access to appropriate care come first.

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