2023 -- H 5880

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- POLICE OFFICERS -

COMMISSION ON STANDARDS AND TRAINING

     Introduced By: Representative Thomas E. Noret

     Date Introduced: March 01, 2023

     Referred To: House Health & Human Services

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 42-28.2-8.3 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-28.2 entitled "Police

Officers — Commission on Standards and Training" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     42-28.2-8.3. Educational requirements — National certified mental health first aid

training Educational requirements — National certified mental health training.

     (a) The commission on standards and training shall prepare and publish mandatory training

standards to provide instructions for police officers in identifying recognizing the possible

existence of a mental disorder and handling of complaints involving mental health/substance abuse

use emergencies, and victims, witnesses, or suspects with mental illness or substance use disorders

and shall develop guidelines for law enforcement responses to incidents involving such persons.

The course of instruction shall comply with the certified National Council of Behavioral Health

Mental Health First Aid Program (MHFA) for law enforcement, or an International Certified Crisis

Intervention Team (ICCIT) training program, or other best practice training recognized by the

International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP). Instruction and the guidelines shall include:

     (1) Identifying and recognizing Recognizing the possible existence of a mental illness or

substance use disorders for the benefit of victims and witnesses, the availability of civil remedies

and community resources for persons experiencing mental health emergencies, and the protection

of persons with mental illness or substance use disorders and for law enforcement officers engaging

such persons;

     (2) Providing information to law enforcement officers to recognize the signs and symptoms

of common mental illnesses and substance use disorders, de-escalating crisis situations safely, and

initiating timely referral to mental health and substance abuse use resources available in the

community.

     (b) The commission shall include training in all curricula for recruits and in-service

trainees, in all police academies operating or certified by the commission. All law enforcement

trainees shall be certified by the National Council of Behavioral Health in Mental Health First Aid,

or an International Certified Crisis Intervention Team (ICCIT) training program, or other best

practice training recognized by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP).

     (c) All law enforcement trainees shall may participate in the course of basic training for

law enforcement officers, established in this section, as part of their required certification process.

     (d) Training presenters shall may include behavioral health practitioners with expertise in

the delivery of direct services to individuals experiencing mental health or substance abuse use

emergencies, police officers who are certified trainers in the respective training being delivered and

victims, witnesses, and suspects with lived experience of mental illness and consumer-survivors

i.e. individuals with mental illness or substance use disorders. Training presentations may utilize

the staff of community-based mental health treatment facilities.

     (e) The course of instruction, the learning and performance objectives, the standards for

training, and the guidelines shall be developed by the Rhode Island municipal police training

committee commission in consultation with groups and individuals having an interest and expertise

in the field of mental health and community-based treatment.

     (f) The Rhode Island municipal police training committee commission periodically shall

include within its in-service training curriculum a course of instruction on handling complaints

from or against persons with mental illness or substance use disorders, consistent with the

provisions of subsections (a)(1) and (a)(2).

     (g) As used in this section, the following words and terms shall have the following

meanings:

     (1) “Law enforcement officer” shall mean any officer of a municipal police department or

a department of the state.

     (2) “Consumer-survivor” shall mean any individual suffering from with lived experience

of a mental health disability condition or substance abuse use disorder.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- POLICE OFFICERS -

COMMISSION ON STANDARDS AND TRAINING

***

     This act would require police training on recognizing the possible existence of mental

health disorders and substance use disorders and would require certified crisis intervention team

training for all officers.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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