Chapter 279
2023 -- S 1049
Enacted 06/22/2023

A N   A C T
RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- POLICE OFFICERS - COMMISSION ON STANDARDS AND TRAINING

Introduced By: Senators Burke, Tikoian, Quezada, LaMountain, McKenney, Raptakis, and F. Lombardi

Date Introduced: May 19, 2023

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