2023 -- H 5880
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LC002224
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S TATE OF RHODE IS LAND
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 STANDA RDS 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 1
Officers — Commission on Standards and Training" is hereby amended to read as follows: 2
42-28.2-8.3. Educational requirements — National certified mental health first aid 3
training Educational requirements — National certified mental health training. 4
(a) The commission on standards and training shall prepare and publish mandatory training 5
standards to provide instructions for police officers in identifying recognizing the possible 6
existence of a mental disorder and handling of complaints involving mental health/substance abuse 7
use emergencies, and victims, witnesses, or suspects with mental illness or substance use disorders 8
and shall develop guidelines for law enforcement responses to incidents involving such persons. 9
The course of instruction shall comply with the certified National Council of Behavioral Health 10
Mental Health First Aid Program (MHFA) for law enforcement, or an International Certified Crisis 11
Intervention Team (ICCIT) training program, or other best practice training recognized by the 12
International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP). Instruction and the guidelines shall include: 13
(1) Identifying and recognizing Recognizing the possible existence of a mental illness or 14
substance use disorders for the benefit of victims and witnesses, the availability of civil remedies 15
and community resources for persons experiencing mental health emergencies, and the protection 16
of persons with mental illness or substance use disorders and for law enforcement officers engaging 17
such persons; 18
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(2) Providing information to law enforcement officers to recognize the signs and symptoms 1
of common mental illnesses and substance use disorders, de-escalating crisis situations safely, and 2
initiating timely referral to mental health and substance abuse use resources available in the 3
community. 4
(b) The commission shall include training in all curricula for recruits and in-service 5
trainees, in all police academies operating or certified by the commission. All law enforcement 6
trainees shall be certified by the National Council of Behavioral Health in Mental Health First Aid, 7
or an International Certified Crisis Intervention Team (ICCIT) training program, or other best 8
practice training recognized by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP). 9
(c) All law enforcement trainees shall may participate in the course of basic training for 10
law enforcement officers, established in this section, as part of their required certification process. 11
(d) Training presenters shall may include behavioral health practitioners with expertise in 12
the delivery of direct services to individuals experiencing mental health or substance abuse use 13
emergencies, police officers who are certified trainers in the respective training being delivered and 14
victims, witnesses, and suspects with lived experience of mental illness and consumer-survivors 15
i.e. individuals with mental illness or substance use disorders. Training presentations may utilize 16
the staff of community-based mental health treatment facilities. 17
(e) The course of instruction, the learning and performance objectives, the standards for 18
training, and the guidelines shall be developed by the Rhode Island municipal police training 19
committee commission in consultation with groups and individuals having an interest and expertise 20
in the field of mental health and community-based treatment. 21
(f) The Rhode Island municipal police training committee commission periodically shall 22
include within its in-service training curriculum a course of instruction on handling complaints 23
from or against persons with mental illness or substance use disorders, consistent with the 24
provisions of subsections (a)(1) and (a)(2). 25
(g) As used in this section, the following words and terms shall have the following 26
meanings: 27
(1) “Law enforcement officer” shall mean any officer of a municipal police department or 28
a department of the state. 29
(2) “Consumer-survivor” shall mean any individual suffering from with lived experience 30
of a mental health disability condition or substance abuse use disorder. 31
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. 32
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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 TRAINI NG
***
This act would require police training on recognizing the possible existence of mental 1
health disorders and substance use disorders and would require certified crisis intervention team 2
training for all officers. 3
This act would take effect upon passage. 4
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LC002224
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