SB 11, as amended, Beall. Peace officer training: mental health.
begin insertExisting law requires specified categories of law enforcement officers to meet training standards pursuant to courses of training certified by the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST). Existing law requires POST to include in its basic training course adequate instruction in the handling of persons with developmental disabilities or mental illness, or both. Existing law also requires POST to establish and keep updated a continuing education classroom training course relating to law enforcement interaction with developmentally disabled and mentally ill persons.
end insertbegin insertThis bill would require POST to include in its basic training course an evidence-based behavioral health classroom training course to train law enforcement officers to recognize, deescalate, and refer persons with mental illness or intellectual disability who are in crisis. The bill would require that this evidence-based behavioral health classroom training course be 20 hours long and be in addition to the basic training course’s current hour requirement.
end insertbegin insertThe bill would also require POST to establish and keep updated an evidence-based behavioral health training course as part of its perishable skills training under its continuing professional training requirement. The bill would require that this evidence-based behavioral health training course be a minimum of 4 consecutive hours of the total hours required in each 4-year period for perishable skills training.
end insertbegin insertBy imposing additional training costs on local law enforcement agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
end insertbegin insertThe California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
end insertbegin insertThis bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these statutory provisions.
end insertExisting law requires the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training to establish and keep updated a continuing education classroom training course for peace officer interactions with persons with mental disabilities. Under existing law, this course consists of classroom instruction and utilizes interactive training methods to ensure that training is as realistic as possible. Under existing law, this course includes training in identifying indicators of mental disability, conflict resolution techniques, and alternatives to lethal force.
end deleteThis bill would declare the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation to increase the minimum mental health training standard for California peace officers.
end deleteVote: majority.
Appropriation: no.
Fiscal committee: begin deleteno end deletebegin insertyesend insert.
State-mandated local program: begin deleteno end deletebegin insertyesend insert.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
begin insertSection 13515.26 is added to the end insertbegin insertPenal Codeend insertbegin insert, to
2read:end insert
(a) The Commission on Peace Officer Standards
4and Training shall establish and keep updated an evidence-based
5behavioral health classroom training course relating to law
6enforcement interaction with persons with mental illness as part
7of its basic training course for law enforcement officers. This
8evidence-based behavioral health classroom training course shall
9train officers to recognize, deescalate, and refer persons with
10mental illness or intellectual disability who are in crisis.
11(b) This evidence-based behavioral health classroom training
12course shall address issues relating to stigma, shall be culturally
P3 1relevant and appropriate, and shall include all of the following
2topics:
3(1) The cause and nature of mental illnesses and intellectual
4disabilities.
5(2) (A) How to identify indicators of mental illness, intellectual
6disability, and substance use disorders.
7(B) How to distinguish between mental illness, intellectual
8disability, and substance use disorders.
9(C) How to respond appropriately in a variety of situations
10involving persons with mental illness, intellectual disability, and
11substance use disorders.
12(3) Conflict resolution and deescalation techniques for
13potentially dangerous situations.
14(4) Appropriate language usage when interacting with
15potentially emotionally distressed persons.
16(5) Community and state resources available to serve persons
17with mental illness or intellectual disability, and how these
18resources can be best utilized by law enforcement.
19(6) The perspective of individuals and families with lived
20experiences with persons with mental illness, intellectual disability,
21and substance use disorders.
22(c) This evidence-based behavioral health classroom training
23course shall be 20 hours long and shall be in addition to the basic
24training course’s current hour requirement.
begin insertSection 13515.27 is added to the end insertbegin insertPenal Codeend insertbegin insert, to read:end insert
begin insert(a) The Commission on Peace Officer Standards
27and Training shall establish and keep updated an evidence-based
28behavioral health training course relating to law enforcement
29interaction with persons with mental illness as part of its perishable
30skills training under its continuing professional training
31requirement.
32(b) Of the total hours required in each four-year period for
33perishable skills training, a minimum of four consecutive hours
34shall be dedicated to the evidence-based behavioral health training
35course.
36(c) This evidence-based behavioral health training course shall
37address issues related to stigma, shall be culturally relevant and
38appropriate, and shall include all of
the following topics:
39(1) The cause and nature of mental illness, intellectual disability,
40and substance use disorders.
P4 1(2) (A) How to identify indicators of mental illness, intellectual
2disability, and substance use disorders.
3(B) How to distinguish between mental illness, intellectual
4disability, and substance use disorders.
5(C) How to respond appropriately in a variety of situations
6involving persons with mental illness, intellectual disability, and
7substance use disorders.
8(3) Conflict resolution and deescalation techniques for
9potentially dangerous situations.
10(4) Appropriate language usage when
interacting with
11potentially emotionally distressed persons.
12(5) Community and state resources available to serve persons
13with mental illness or intellectual disability, and how these
14resources can be best utilized by law enforcement.
15(6) The perspective of individuals and families with lived
16experiences with persons with mental illness, intellectual disability,
17and substance use disorders.
If the Commission on State Mandates determines that
19this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to
20local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made
21pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division
224 of Title 2 of the Government Code.
It is the intent of the Legislature to enact
24legislation to increase the minimum mental health training standard
25for California peace officers in order to address officer and
26community safety and achieve better outcomes when interacting
27with persons with mental illness.
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