Interactions with Persons with Mental Illness: Instructor Course

The Interactions with Persons with Mental Illness INSTRUCTOR COURSE is designed to be an interactive five day, 40-hour class, which focuses on preparing attendees to teach future Interactions with Persons with Mental Illness biennium training blocks. Attendees will be given the skills and materials to return to their agencies and provide 4-8 hours of instruction in HB93 related topics, which ultimately meet state requirements.

In short, the 40-Hour Train the Trainer class has been designed to provide Train the Trainer certification to officers and other non-sworn personnel around the state of New Mexico. With this certification individuals can provide the in-service training mandated by HB93 in 2011.

The topics included in the class are designed to give attendees a basic foundation in law enforcement instruction as well as the specialized knowledge necessary for verbal de-escalation of people in crisis. During the course of the week-long class participants will gain knowledge regarding crises and how people respond or behave in crisis. The concept of mental illness and its effect on the verbal interaction will be addressed as well.

Participants are expected to actively engage in PowerPoint and lesson plan development, classroom instruction, and live scenario situations and facilitation. The class instructors will be current law enforcement officers, police psychologists, mental health providers, and retired law enforcement officers with extensive expertise and experience in verbal de-escalation and crisis management.