Rhode Island 2023 Regular Session

Rhode Island House Bill H5880 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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5	5	2023 -- H 5880
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7	7	LC002224
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9	9	S TATE OF RHODE IS LAND
10	10	IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
11	11	JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023
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14	14	A N A C T
15	15	RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- POLICE OFFICERS -
16	16	COMMISSION ON STANDA RDS AND TRAINING
17	17	Introduced By: Representative Thomas E. Noret
18	18	Date Introduced: March 01, 2023
19	19	Referred To: House Health & Human Services
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22	22	It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
23	23	SECTION 1. Section 42-28.2-8.3 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-28.2 entitled "Police 1
24	24	Officers — Commission on Standards and Training" is hereby amended to read as follows: 2
25	25	42-28.2-8.3. Educational requirements — National certified mental health first aid 3
26	26	training Educational requirements — National certified mental health training. 4
27	27	(a) The commission on standards and training shall prepare and publish mandatory training 5
28	28	standards to provide instructions for police officers in identifying recognizing the possible 6
29	29	existence of a mental disorder and handling of complaints involving mental health/substance abuse 7
30	30	use emergencies, and victims, witnesses, or suspects with mental illness or substance use disorders 8
31	31	and shall develop guidelines for law enforcement responses to incidents involving such persons. 9
32	32	The course of instruction shall comply with the certified National Council of Behavioral Health 10
33	33	Mental Health First Aid Program (MHFA) for law enforcement, or an International Certified Crisis 11
34	34	Intervention Team (ICCIT) training program, or other best practice training recognized by the 12
35	35	International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP). Instruction and the guidelines shall include: 13
36	36	(1) Identifying and recognizing Recognizing the possible existence of a mental illness or 14
37	37	substance use disorders for the benefit of victims and witnesses, the availability of civil remedies 15
38	38	and community resources for persons experiencing mental health emergencies, and the protection 16
39	39	of persons with mental illness or substance use disorders and for law enforcement officers engaging 17
40	40	such persons; 18
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44	44	(2) Providing information to law enforcement officers to recognize the signs and symptoms 1
45	45	of common mental illnesses and substance use disorders, de-escalating crisis situations safely, and 2
46	46	initiating timely referral to mental health and substance abuse use resources available in the 3
47	47	community. 4
48	48	(b) The commission shall include training in all curricula for recruits and in-service 5
49	49	trainees, in all police academies operating or certified by the commission. All law enforcement 6
50	50	trainees shall be certified by the National Council of Behavioral Health in Mental Health First Aid, 7
51	51	or an International Certified Crisis Intervention Team (ICCIT) training program, or other best 8
52	52	practice training recognized by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP). 9
53	53	(c) All law enforcement trainees shall may participate in the course of basic training for 10
54	54	law enforcement officers, established in this section, as part of their required certification process. 11
55	55	(d) Training presenters shall may include behavioral health practitioners with expertise in 12
56	56	the delivery of direct services to individuals experiencing mental health or substance abuse use 13
57	57	emergencies, police officers who are certified trainers in the respective training being delivered and 14
58	58	victims, witnesses, and suspects with lived experience of mental illness and consumer-survivors 15
59	59	i.e. individuals with mental illness or substance use disorders. Training presentations may utilize 16
60	60	the staff of community-based mental health treatment facilities. 17
61	61	(e) The course of instruction, the learning and performance objectives, the standards for 18
62	62	training, and the guidelines shall be developed by the Rhode Island municipal police training 19
63	63	committee commission in consultation with groups and individuals having an interest and expertise 20
64	64	in the field of mental health and community-based treatment. 21
65	65	(f) The Rhode Island municipal police training committee commission periodically shall 22
66	66	include within its in-service training curriculum a course of instruction on handling complaints 23
67	67	from or against persons with mental illness or substance use disorders, consistent with the 24
68	68	provisions of subsections (a)(1) and (a)(2). 25
69	69	(g) As used in this section, the following words and terms shall have the following 26
70	70	meanings: 27
71	71	(1) “Law enforcement officer” shall mean any officer of a municipal police department or 28
72	72	a department of the state. 29
73	73	(2) “Consumer-survivor” shall mean any individual suffering from with lived experience 30
74	74	of a mental health disability condition or substance abuse use disorder. 31
75	75	SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. 32
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82	82	EXPLANATION
83	83	BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
84	84	OF
85	85	A N A C T
86	86	RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- POLICE OFFICERS -
87	87	COMMISSION ON STANDARDS AND TRAINI NG
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89	89	This act would require police training on recognizing the possible existence of mental 1
90	90	health disorders and substance use disorders and would require certified crisis intervention team 2
91	91	training for all officers. 3
92	92	This act would take effect upon passage. 4
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