(a) (1) The commission shall require the field training officers who provide instruction in the field training program to have at least eight hours of crisis intervention behavioral health training to better train new peace officers on how to effectively interact with persons with mental illness or intellectual disability. This course shall include classroom instruction and instructor-led active learning, such as scenario-based training, and shall be taught in segments that are at least four hours long.

(2) If a field training officer has completed eight hours of crisis intervention behavioral health training within the past 24 months, or if a field training officer has completed 40 hours of crisis intervention behavioral health training, the requirement described in paragraph (1) shall not apply.

(b) The crisis intervention behavioral health training shall address issues relating to stigma, shall be culturally relevant and appropriate, and shall include all of the following topics:

(1) The cause and nature of mental illnesses and intellectual disabilities.

(2) (A) How to identify indicators of mental illness, intellectual disability, and substance use disorders.

(B) How to distinguish between mental illness, intellectual disability, and substance use disorders.

(C) How to respond appropriately in a variety of situations involving persons with mental illness, intellectual disability, and substance use disorders.

(3) Conflict resolution and deescalation techniques for potentially dangerous situations.

(4) Appropriate language usage when interacting with potentially emotionally distressed persons.

(5) Community and state resources available to serve persons with mental illness or intellectual disability, and how these resources can be best utilized by law enforcement.

(6) The perspective of individuals or families who have experiences with persons with mental illness, intellectual disability, and substance use disorders.

(c) Field training officers assigned or appointed before January 1, 2017, shall complete the crisis intervention behavioral health training by June 30, 2017. Field training officers assigned or appointed on or after January 1, 2017, shall complete the crisis intervention behavioral health training within 180 days of assignment or appointment.

(d) This section does not prevent an agency from requiring its field training officers to complete additional hours of crisis intervention behavioral health training or requiring its field training officers to complete that training earlier than as required by this section.

(Added by Stats. 2015, Ch. 469, Sec. 1. (SB 29) Effective January 1, 2016.)