Interagency Response to Acute Behavioral Emergencies: The Need for Police-Fire-EMS Collaboration

The response to a suicidal or severely emotionally disturbed individual presents a high-risk situation. Often, an acute behavioral emergency is the first sign of an underlying medical condition. A prolonged struggle with police places the individual at risk of sudden death in custody. Effective resolution requires close collaboration among police, fire/EMS, and mental health professionals. This session, presented by two of the authors of the NAEMSP/IAFC and IACP Consensus Paper on the Management of Acute Behavioral Emergencies (published in August 2024), will highlight best practices and emphasize the importance of interagency planning and scenario-based training.