• Those detained for mental health evaluations have had prior contacts with law enforcement for issues stemming from their mental illness.
• Many of those detained reached a crisis point because they destabilized; they stopped taking medication, they were self-medicating and / or experiencing stressors at home.
• The majority of mental illnesses requiring a police response can be stabilized with proper medication and proper case management.
• Mental health services are not equipped to provide quick and ongoing case management for many of those suffering from a mental illness in our community.
• Few mental health detainees are contacted by mental health services after they are released. There is no emphasis on long-term case management to support them over time.
The Irvine Model is a proactive outreach approach that focuses on wrap-around services. Mental health related calls for service are assigned to our Mental Health Officers( MHO) in the same way that crime reports are assigned to detectives. These become an active case for the MHO and the goal is to make contact on every case. Our MHO’ s work together with mental health professionals who are assigned to the program. The Irvine Police Department has partnered with the Orange County Health Care Agency and they have provided us a mental health professional that works directly with our MHO. The pairing of the two is the perfect partnership for our Mental Health Team( MHT).
The Mental Health Team does not normally respond to calls for service, but rather conducts outreach to those already known to need mental health support. The team travels to the home of many of the individuals to meet with families and determine if any challenges exist that might cause the individual to destabilize triggering a mental health crisis. Oftentimes connecting a family to available resources for support is enough to keep their loved one on track and out of crisis.
Another benefit of the home visit is the trust that law enforcement can build with the individual and his or her family. There is a perceived fear of police that if a family calls the police to assist with a mental health crisis, the police will either injure or kill their family member. Proactive outreach significantly helps reduce those fears and build long term relationships with families. Additionally, a proactive approach increases the likelihood those families will seek out assistance before a new, greater crisis occurs.
The Irvine Model is not a“ one-size-fits-all.” Rather, it caters to the specific needs of the individual as well as their family. Because the needs of the individual or their loved ones can be very diverse, the team focuses on the inclusion of a variety of County and non-profit agencies. The Mental Health Team has a licensed marriage and family therapist who is employed by the City of Irvine, who is able to act as a resource for these individuals should the need be there. In addition, a county clinician is also a part of the team, offering expertise in county services and assessments.
Once a month, they meet with a variety of stakeholders within the mental health community( Adult Protective Services, CPS, Senior Center Social Workers, Investigators, Victim Advocate, Code Enforcement, and our Mental Health Liaison Officers), to review cases and strategize new ways to assist individuals who may overlap into a variety programs. This collaboration allows for more succinct service, eliminates duplication of services, and ensures that individuals do not go unnoticed or“ fall between the cracks”. When more than one organization is working with an individual, the team works together to ensure that everyone meets with the individual at the same time. This eliminates numerous home visits from a variety of agencies, minimizing confusion or contradicting action plans. The relationships we have fostered with professional care providers has helped fast track recovery for those who have been in crisis.
The Irvine Model ensures that once someone is identified as needing mental health support, they are quickly contacted by the Mental Health Team, who can then provide individuals and their support system with the resources they need in order to avoid a a larger crisis. This model also helps develop an organizational culture of care and support for those suffering from a mental illness. We can make a tremendous difference by expanding the role of every police officer to be a“ mental health advocate” responsible for connecting members of the community who need support with the available mental resources. ■
30 California Police Chief | www. californiapolicechiefs. org