LOCAL CORRECTIONS OFFICERS; STANDARDS S.B. 1125:
SUMMARY OF INTRODUCED BILL
IN COMMITTEE
Senate Bill 1125 (as introduced 9-22-20)
Sponsor: Senator Peter J. Lucido
Committee: Judiciary and Public Safety
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Local Corrections Officers Training Act to require the course content of the vocational certificate program, the central training academy, and continuing education programs for local corrections officers to include crisis response and behavioral health training.
The Act requires the Sheriff's Coordinating and Training Council to approve minimum standards and requirements for local corrections officers with respect to the following:
-- Recruitment, selection, and certification of new local corrections officers based upon at least, work experience, educational achievement, and physical mental fitness.
-- New employee and continuing training programs.
-- Recertification process.
-- Decertification process.
-- Course content of the vocational certificate program, the central training academy, and continuing training programs.
("Local corrections officer" means any person employed by a county sheriff in a local correctional facility as a corrections officer or that person's supervisor or administrator.)
The course content must include education and training on how to identify and manage prisoners with a mental illness. The bill would delete this provision. Instead, under the bill, within one year after the bill's effective date, the course content would have to include crisis response and behavioral health training that strengthened the ability of a local corrections officer to identify mental health or substance use needs in individuals, safely address crisis situations, and understand diversion options. The training would have to be evidence based and align with the large body of national research on de-escalation and responding to individuals with behavioral health needs.
The crisis response and behavioral health training would have to provide the following information:
-- The reasons individuals with behavioral health needs should be diverted from criminal justice involvement.
-- How to recognize individuals with behavioral health needs.
-- How to safely and effectively respond to individuals with behavioral health needs.
-- The best methods and available options to divert individuals with behavioral health needs from sustained criminal justice involvement.
-- The best methods to connect individuals with behavioral health needs with local supportive services.
In approving the course content for crisis response and behavioral health training, the Council would have to consult with the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and the Mental Health Diversion Council.
As used under the bill, "behavioral health" would mean mental health and substance use disorders and the treatment of mental health and substance use disorders.
MCL 791.538 Legislative Analyst: Stephen Jackson
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have no fiscal impact on State or local government.
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.