This page is designed to offer resources to law enforcement and other first-responders in Idaho regarding youth with mental health concerns.
Law enforcement officers often are asked to respond to situations that involve youth. There are a variety of issues that can be present that include life-threatening situations, such as suicide and suicide attempts or aggression toward others. Officers often confront youth who exhibit behaviors that emerge from mental health issues and they need to be able to identify these issues and address them in the most appropriate manner.
Oftentimes, officers are not trained to recognize these disorders. For children and youth with mental disorders, acting-out behavior is common. Many youth with mental disorders appear angry, hostile and may harm themselves or others. This behavior can lead to encounters with law enforcement officers, juvenile detention and juvenile corrections staff. Approximately 40-60 percent of youth in custody have a substance abuse and/or mental disorder. Many receive mental health care for the first time while in custody. As a result, first-responders may find themselves dealing with children/youth who are not in treatment and exhibit aggressive, hostile or self-destructive behaviors.
In Idaho, approximately 5% of the general population of children has a Serious Emotional Disturbance (SED). SED is considerably more severe than a diagnosable mental illness; a diagnosis of SED requires the child to have impairment in functioning at home, school or in the community. It is estimated that 1 in 5 children/youth, or 20%, has a diagnosable disorder during childhood. Based on 2005 Census data, there are approximately 374,180 child/youth in Idaho (0 to 17).
That means that approximately 74,836 will have a diagnosable mental illness during their childhood and 18,709 will have a serious emotional disorder at any given time. Further, Idaho’s rate of suicide among young people consistently ranks in the top five states nationally. Rates among Native American youth are significantly higher. On average, when high-schoolers are polled in Idaho, roughly 9% report having attempted suicide at least once.
Police Pocket Guide
The Police Pocket Guide was developed from a grant from the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health with aid and guidance from Wayside Youth & Family Support Network. The Massachusetts Department of Mental Health gave permission to adapt the Police Pocket Guide, written by Gwen Healey and Janet Hirschorn, for the State of Idaho on the condition that the authors and the sources of information and funding for the original document are recognized.
The manual defines mental illness, parents, on scene assessment and other points to include mental health disorders, medications, a glossary, and resources.
Helpful Tips
Here are some helpful strategies adapted from the Houston Police Department to provide a better understanding of how to address a situation where the person has a mental health issue:
-Stay Calm
-Be patient, avoid crowding the individual
-Maintain eye contact
-Provide a quiet place free of distractions and noise if possible
-Listen
-Take notes as necessary
-Ask open-ended questions
-Double-check information given by restating it
-Use the individual’s name
-Give instructions or directives one at a time so as to allow time for compliance
(Source: Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education).
If you are a first responder and you're interested in being a trainer for, "Community Policing; Effective Response to Youth with Mental Illness," a POST certified course (CEU's included) please contact Stacie Golden at 208-334-0628 or goldens@dhw.idaho.gov for more information.
To order a police pocket guide contact Gayle Feller at 208.334.5722 or fellerg@dhw.idaho.gov.