Saturday, May 18, 2024
5/18/2024
Law enforcement officers have increasingly been first responders for mental health emergences as gaps in services continue to grow. The Chill Project by AHN will train 48 officers in Jefferson Hills and Pleasant Hills, PA, in mental health awareness. The population of focus includes approximately 75% of Allegheny County residents with which officers interact. This population comprises approximately 1.2 million people; an estimated 20% (240,000 people) experience mental illness, according to the statistics provided by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Mental illness is common in the United States, with nearly one in five adults living with mental illness. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) and the SAMHSA, there were an estimated 51.5 million adults (20% of all adults) age 18 or older living with any mental illness, defined as mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder. While the issue is pressing and increasingly prevalent, less than 45% of individuals with mental illnesses were able to access mental health services. Local and regional healthcare and emergency response systems struggle to respond adequately to people who live with mental illness. Due to gaps in mental health services, law enforcement has increasingly assumed the responsibility of support roles in mental health emergencies, accounting for 7%-10% of emergency calls to law enforcement. The Chill Project by Allegheny Health Network will expand its successful mental health awareness program within the school districts to the local law enforcement community and increase mental health awareness and responsiveness in Allegheny County. The goals of the program include increasing mental health awareness among participating law enforcement, improved law enforcement quality of life and reduced mental health concerns among officers, and an increase in outreach from law enforcement with resources and referrals. The training provided to the officers will be firmly based in evidence-based practices, covering a variety of topics in a 12-month program. To accomplish these goals, the Chill Project by AHN will conduct a needs analysis, create a curriculum based on needs, suggest policy and procedure changes in law enforcement response to mental health emergencies, improve their tactics in responding to mental health needs of the community, increase their coping mechanisms, establish community connections, and create materials for law enforcement officers to distribute in response to mental health calls. The success of the effort will be evaluated by an expert in psychology, using assessments validated by clinical tests in addition to interviews conducted with the officers trained in mental health awareness.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).
