CHATHAM – Several Cape Cod police officers and dispatchers were at the Chatham Police Department Tuesday for specialized training from Hanrahan Consulting in how to handle mental health and substance abuse calls.
The number of mental health related calls is on the rise. Substance abuse, particularly the current heroin epidemic, poses special challenges for first responders.
911 Call-takers need to be familiar with a wide variety of mental health disorders, the appropriate types of responses, available resources and the legal aspects of responding to these sensitive call types.
This training is designed to ensure that 911 call-takers are knowledgeable and prepared on how to best handle these incidents.
