2023 -- S 1049

========

LC003040

========

     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023

____________

A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- POLICE OFFICERS -

COMMISSION ON STANDARDS AND TRAINING

     

     Introduced By: Senators Burke, Tikoian, Quezada, LaMountain, McKenney, Raptakis,
and F. Lombardi

     Date Introduced: May 19, 2023

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

1

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

2

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

3

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

4

training Educational requirements — National certified mental health training.

5

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

6

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

7

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

8

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

9

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

10

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

11

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

12

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

13

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

14

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

15

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

16

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

17

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

18

such persons;

 

1

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

2

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

3

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

4

community.

5

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

6

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

7

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

8

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

9

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

10

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

11

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

12

     (d) Training presenters shall include a behavioral health practitioners practitioner with

13

expertise in the delivery of direct services to individuals experiencing mental health or substance

14

abuse use emergencies, and may also include police officers who are certified trainers in the

15

respective training being delivered and victims, witnesses, and suspects with lived experience of

16

mental illness and consumer-survivors i.e. individuals with mental illness or substance use

17

disorders. Training presentations may utilize the staff of community-based mental health treatment

18

facilities.

19

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

20

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

21

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

22

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

23

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

24

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

25

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

26

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

27

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

28

meanings:

29

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

30

a department of the state.

31

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

32

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

 

LC003040 - Page 2 of 4

1

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

========

LC003040

========

 

LC003040 - Page 3 of 4

EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- POLICE OFFICERS -

COMMISSION ON STANDARDS AND TRAINING

***

1

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

2

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

3

training for all officers.

4

     This act would take effect upon passage.

========

LC003040

========

 

LC003040 - Page 4 of 4