Mental Health Officer Training #4201

Service Description

This class is designed to certify an individual to be a statewide resource as a mental health officer (MHO), per Texas Occupations Code 1701.404, and the TCOLE Rule §221.11. An MHO assists responding law enforcement officers to determine, if and what, actions can be taken regarding the individual(s)’s 4th Amendment rights, due to the individual(s)’s incapacitation caused by their mental health crisis.This course certifies an individual on how to identify applicable situations for intervention, appropriate local resources for the demographics of the jurisdiction, and best practices on building resource/community connections. This course does not certify the applicant as a mental health care expert or mental health care service provider. This class is to achieve a voluntary and elite designation. The requirements to achieve this elite and voluntary designation reflect the gravity of the duties. Prerequisites: (a)To qualify for a mental health officer proficiency certificate, an applicant must meet the following requirements: (1)currently appointed as a peace officer, county jailer, or Justice of the peace; (2)at least two years' experience as a peace officer, county jailer, or justice of the peace; (3)if not currently a commissioned peace officer or county jailer, an applicant must meet the current enrollment standards; (4)if an applicant is a commissioned peace officer or county jailer, an applicant must not ever have had a license or certificate issued by the commission suspended or revoked; (5)if an applicant is a commissioned peace officer or county jailer, an applicant must have met the continuing education requirements for the previous training cycle; (6)successful completion of a training course in emergency first aid and lifesaving techniques (Red Cross or equivalent); (7)successful completion of the current mental health officer training course and pass the approved examination for mental health officer proficiency. (b)The effective date of this section is January 14, 2010. Additionally, the student must have taken: De-escalation (TCOLE Course #1849) AND Crisis Intervention Training (TCOLE Course #1850) OR Mental Health for Jailers (TCOLE Course #4900) Please note: Peace officers who completed the Basic Peace Officer Course after 2019 (BPOC 1000667, 1000696, 1000720), will have both 1849 and 1850 and meet the enrollment requirements. Instructor: Sergeant Stephanie Piper