Mental health first aid program grows

June 08--CUMBERLAND -- Officers from local law enforcement agencies, including the Allegany County Sheriff's Office and the Cumberland Police Department, are among those getting training in mental health first aid. The eight-hour training has been completed by 200 people so far in 2015, including 57 law enforcement officers, said Lesa Diehl, director of the Mental Health Systems Office of the Allegany County Health Department. Plans are to offer a more extensive program next year, Diehl said.

"Law enforcement are often the first to encounter people in a mental health crisis," Diehl said. "I feel very fortunate to work with local law enforcement leaders who are proactive. They recognize that how law enforcement responds to individuals with mental illness can have a tremendous impact on how encounters are resolved." Diehl was speaking at a meeting of the Allegany County Board of Health on Tuesday at health department offices on Willowbrook Road.

"I know the sheriff (Craig Robertson) is very supportive," said Allegany County Commissioner Jake Shade.

That commitment extends to at least one local officer who is now a certified Mental Health First Aid trainer, Deputy Andrew Mackert, Diehl said. Mackert, along with health department personnel, is now training other officers.

Plans are to expand the training in a new direction. The health department is developing a 40-hour Crisis Intervention Training for law enforcement officers. The program can save lives, both of people with a mental health problem and potentially the officer responding to a situation involving a person with mental illness.

"CIT has been shown to reduce officer injury rates five-fold. ... Our goal is to offer our first class in the spring of next year," Diehl said. Officers who go through the program have extra training to help out in responding to emotional disturbance calls, in addition to their regular calls. The approach fosters a partnership between law enforcement and the community, Diehl said. The CIT trained officers will not only have the training needed to calm a situation down, but know the community resources that can help a troubled individual, perhaps sending that person for help rather than to jail when appropriate, Diehl said. One Cumberland Police officer has already completed CIT training and Montgomery County's CIT coordinator, Scott Davis, will help develop Allegany County's curriculum, Diehl said.

Health officials are also applying for a grant so that the Western Maryland Health System can hire and supervise mental health processionals who will be able to respond to situations at the request of law enforcement, Diehl said.

"None of this would be possible without law enforcement buy-in and support," Diehl said.

Allegany Transit drivers have also received the first aid training, among school personnel and others in the community, Diehl said. It's also a huge commitment by the health department, Diehl said, but worth it. "It's proven to save lives," Diehl said.

Diehl also told health board members :

--The department has been able to offer more first aid courses thanks to staff from the Western Correctional Institution and North Branch Correctional Institution. The wardens of those prisons allowed their trained instructors to offer the trainings.

--One in four individuals in the United States has a mental illness in any given year.

--Mental disorders are the leading cause of disability for individuals ages 15-44.

--Specialized mental health first aid training modules are available on the problems of seniors, young people and veterans.

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