City of OKC

Recommendation No. 11:

The City should consider creating a Crisis Intervention Committee to focus on mental health response city-wide.

The City should consider creating a Crisis Intervention Committee to focus on mental health response city-wide to address ongoing needs of the OKC community.

Project Status: 90% Implemented

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Project Details from Consultant Report

Several jurisdictions have benefited from the creation of a multi-disciplinary and interagency advisory committee composed of regional mental and behavioral health experts, social service providers, clinicians, community advocates, academics, other law enforcement agencies, the judiciary, and other stakeholders in the mental health/crisis areas, to coordinate efforts to address these regional issues.

As set forth in the Seattle Police Manual:

The purpose of the CIC is to build an effective regional crisis incident response built upon best practices, innovation and experience. The CIC works in cooperation with the Department to make sure that crisis intervention training and policies are consistent with legal standards, best practices and community expectations. The intent is to include representatives of entities that can assist the Department in achieving the purpose of the CIC. These entities will come from several categories: city and county government (including law enforcement agencies and line patrol officers), mental health professionals and advocates, academia, and others deemed appropriate.

This committee should include those who best understand the detailed working of social support systems and are in the best position to inform processes based on what will work in practice. While there should always be room for vision, this committee must be practical and highly pragmatic.

Also, the committee does not need to be housed in the police department – in fact, many community perspectives would reject that idea – but it does need to include the police department. This is designed as a group to work collaboratively with the department and informed stakeholders to design the most effective crisis response plan and then to continually refine that approach.

At the outset, this body could also serve to provide expert advice on the best form for the alternative response model for mental health calls as the City explores options. Also, cross-referencing the recommendation to strengthen the Force Review Board, a mental health provider from the committee mentioned above could be a part of the board to address crisis intervention.

Primary responsibilities of this committee should be:

• Work with the City to design and maintain the spectrum of response options for persons in crisis
• Develop and maintain a resource map of available options to refer individuals in crisis
• Enhance community connections with advocates and social service professionals, as well as provide for a seamless system of care for persons in crisis
• Review and validate the Department’s CIT training

In the survey of community members, eighty-seven percent of people who responded were supportive of this recommendation. The racial breakdown was as follows: Black/African American (94%); Native American/Alaskan Native (90%); Asian (89%); White (85%); Latinx (86%); and Other (89%).