Jeanne A. Saunders, PhD and Mary Ann (Billie) Marchik, MSW. School of Social Work, University of Iowa, 308 North Hall, Iowa City, IA 52242, 319-335-1276, jeanne-saunders@uiowa.edu

The need for training law enforcement officers to respond to individuals with mental illness is recognized across the country. Officers often spend numerous hours dealing with these individuals with only marginal results. Sometimes these clients are involuntarily committed or fatally wounded because officers lack the skills to deal effectively with these individuals. This presentation discusses a program evaluation conducted to assess the development, implementation and conduct of a collaborative effort between law enforcement, social workers and other mental health professionals to more effectively address these concerns. The Mobile Crisis Response Team, was developed after law enforcement agencies in Polk county, Iowa, provided some training on mental health issues to its officers, but found little change in outcomes. Unique among programs of this kind, social workers and other related professionals are embedded within the law enforcement agencies and accompany officers on calls that involve an individual with mental illness. Their goal is to provide more appropriate mental health assessment, intervention and follow-up for these individuals. This program evaluation, conducted in two phases, collected both quantitative and qualitative data from program staff, law enforcement, service providers, and clients to understand the process social workers used to develop this collaboration and maintain these relationships, and document changes in outcomes for program clients. Changes in attitudes, involuntary commitments, repeat calls and time spent on cases were significant. Strategies for strengthening this collaborative effort and for replicating this model are made.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the need for collaboration between mental health and law enforcement professionals
• Understand the process by which a collaboration can be built 3.Understand the positive outcomes for clients
• Challenges to replicating the program model described

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.