NYAPRS Note: Last week, both the NYS Senate and Assembly backed proposals that NYAPRS, MHANYS and others have proposed to improve police and mental health system response to people with psychiatric disabilities in crisis. In advance of this afternoon’s Joint Legislative Mental Hygiene Budget committee, we are stepping up our advocacy this morning. Stay tuned for more details!
NY Lawmakers Back Police Training On The Mentally Ill
Associated Press March 15, 2015
Budget proposals from New York’s Assembly and Senate contain additional funding for more pilot programs to train police officers in dealing with the mentally ill.
The current state budget contains $400,000 for the training to help officers assess and de-escalate confrontations when called to incidents involving psychologically troubled people.
It was used for training police in Auburn, Binghamton, Clarkstown, Hempstead, Newburgh, Syracuse, Utica and St. Lawrence County.
The Mental Health Association for the State of New York says the Assembly’s budget proposal contains $1 million for so-called crisis intervention team training, while the Senate has proposed $400,000.
This money would expand the list of jurisdictions where police get the training, intended to ensure connections between police, families and people in crisis and keeping them out of the criminal justice system.