Maine Police and Mental Health Interventions

"Maine is seeing a surge in involuntary committals - cases where people are held for mental health issues against their will - that is changing how police do their jobs.

"The number of those committals has risen steadily in the last decade, from 344 in 2009 to 401 last year, an increase of nearly 17 percent. In another measure of mental illness affecting law enforcement and the courts, the number of Mainers found not competent to stand trial has leapt from seven in 2008 to 136 last year.

"As state-provided services for the mentally ill dwindle, more front-line intervention work is performed by Maine's law enforcement community, significantly changing how police train for and perform their jobs."

A recent Portland Press Herald article reported on the challenges being faced by police departments in Maine as they address incidents requiring crisis intervention due to mental health issues.

To access the complete Portland Press Herald report, please visit:

Portland Press Herald: Increasingly, Maine police on front lines for mental illness interventions (15 JUL 18)