Linkage Agreements Between Mental Health and law Enforcement Agencies: Managing Suicidal Persons

This paper analyzes linkage agreements that have been developed between community mental health & law enforcement agencies to coordinate management of mental health emergencies, and evaluates the ramifications for assisting individuals experiencing suicidal episodes. The results indicate that police officers are in fact called upon to manage persons threatening suicide & need further training to do so. Further, police officers do contact mental health providers for assistance & linkage agreements are seen as an asset by police. (17 refs)