S.F. Announces Partnership Between Police, Mental Health Professionals
The city's Department of Public Health plans to add five members to its Comprehensive Crisis Services unit, including clinical psychologists and social workers, to provide around-the-clock services to the police department.
San Francisco Chronicle:
SF Police Officers To Team With Mental Health Workers In Crisis
San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee on Tuesday announced a new plan to use licensed mental health professionals to help police officers resolve conflicts with suspects without resorting to excessive force. A partnership between the San Francisco Police Department and the city Department of Public Health will not only provide officers with extensive training in de-escalation techniques, but will dispatch crisis-intervention specialists to the scenes of police standoffs. (Ravani, 10/4)
In other mental health services news —
KPBS:
Librarians Learn Mental Health First Aid In San Diego
Librarians from across the state met in San Diego late last month to learn how to spot warning signs of mental illness. The training, part of a $1 million mental health initiative from the California State Library, certified about 30 librarians as trainers, who will conduct training sessions of their own for local librarians. (Lipkin, 10/4)