Expanding crisis intervention training for new hampshire's first responders - through the expanding crisis intervention training for new hampshire's first responders project, nami new hampshire and…

Expanding crisis intervention training for new hampshire's first responders - through the expanding crisis intervention training for new hampshire's first responders project, nami new hampshire and its partners will train 800 local law enforcement officers, NH state police (nhsp) and fire/emergency medical services personnel (fire/EMS) to recognize signs and symptoms of mental illness and provide them with the skills to effectively DE-escalate situations and make appropriate referrals to community mental health services in order to ensure the safety of individuals with mental illness, first responders and the general public. The population of focus is individuals with mental illness or those experiencing a psychiatric crisis who come into contact with first responders. In any given year, 1 in 5 granite staters has a mental illness - approximately 272,000 individuals. Strategies include 1) crisis intervention team (CIT) model, a 40-hour best practice training that helps first responders recognize the signs and symptoms of mental illnesses; safety DE-escalate individuals experiencing mental health crises; and utilize community mental health services and diversion strategies to provide assistance. 2) mental health first aid for public safety (mhfa-PS) and mental health first aid for fire/EMS (mhfa-FR) are 8-hour evidence-based practice trainings for first responders that help them better understand mental illnesses and provide them with effective strategies to DE-escalate situations involving psychiatric crises. 3) advanced/in-service CIT for those already trained to ensure sustainability and ongoing professional development. Goals and measurable objectives: goal 1) improve first responder, consumer and public safety when responding to calls involving individuals with mental illness. Objective 1A) by september 30 of each of the 5 project years, partners will have trained 25 local law enforcement officers, 45 nhsp troopers and 5 fire/EMS providers in the 40-hour, evidence-based, crisis intervention team model. Objective 1B) by september 30 of each of the 5 project years, partners will have trained 30 local law enforcement officers and 30 fire/EMS providers in the 8-hour, evidence-based, mhfa-PS and mhfa-FR. Goal 2) strengthen and sustain NH's existing community-oriented collaborative model for responding to individuals in psychiatric crisis to ensure continued improvement in individual outcomes, reduced arrests and incarceration, and avoidance of more costly interventions through timely referrals to community-based treatment. Objective 2A) expand the project steering committee to include a representative from a municipal law enforcement department. Objective 2B) ensure seamless pathways for first responders who are trained in CIT and mhfa-PS/mhfa-FR to refer individuals with mental illness with whom they interact to community mental health services. Objective 2C) by september 30 of each of the 5 project years, provide advanced/in-service CIT to 25 previously trained first responders. Goal 3) evaluate project activities to ensure training is effective and appropriate referrals to mental health or related services are made by trained first responders. Objective 3A) evaluate all CIT and mhfa-PS/mhfa-FR trainings to ensure effectiveness and fidelity to the practices. Objective 3B) ensure continued reporting of the number of individuals referred to mental health or related services to project evaluator. Annually, 160 first responders will be trained. A total of 800 first responders will be trained throughout the project.