Sherifa Orange Countysheriff's Department Sheriff-coroner Don Barnes Office of the Sheriff July 15, 2024 Honorable*

Mental health training for law enforcement officers in Orange County exceeds the State's requirements, resulting in law enforcement applying these skills to better evaluate and handle mental health calls for service. Response: Agrees with finding. The Sheriff's Department requires all deputies to complete advanced officer training in the area of mental health, homelessness and health care, known as Crisis Intervention Training. Deputies who are assigned to the Behavioral Health Bureau are required to complete additional specialized training, known as Crisis Intervention II and III.

Law enforcement agencies in Orange County have developed unique ways to deal with mental health calls in their communities based on their particular needs and budgets, enabling law enforcement to better serve their communities. Response: Agrees with finding. The Orange County Sheriff's Department has created a Behavioral Health Bureau in both Custody and Patrol Operations. In both a custody setting and the community, these bureaus have enhanced the department's ability to respond to those in mental health crisis. In March 2024 the Sheriff's Department and Orange County Health Care Agency (OC HCA), launched OC Links, a 24-hour, 7 days a week Behavioral Health Line. This line serves as an entry point for the OC HCA's continuum of care providing information, referral, linkage, screening, homeless outreach, and dispatching of mobile crisis response teams. Through this program the Sheriff's Department triages non-violent and non-criminal behavioral health and homeless-related calls for service to determine if they can be diverted. Another example of the Sheriff's Department efforts on mental health is the establishment of mental health hotlines in the Orange County Jail. The 24/7 hotlines are available for family, friends, law enforcement and other first responders, service providers, or anyone seeking behavioral health resources and support for an inmate currently in custody. Often times inmates' family and friends have valuable information that can help ensure the best care possible is provided. Information provided about an inmate assists with referral and linkage directly to services. Please see that attached brochure for further information. 4 1

Law enforcement collaboration with County PERT clinicians and Be Well mobile response units has been an effective tool when responding to mental health calls for service. Response: Agrees with finding. The Orange County Sheriff's Department works regularly with PERT Clinicians and the OC HCA's Outreach and Engagement Team. This partnership has been critical to successfully addressing mental health calls for service.

People with mental illness respond more positively to "soft uniformed" police personnel, which can be effective in de-escalating situations. Response: Partially agrees with finding More important than the uniform is the type of personnel who responds to a mental health crisis. The Sheriff's Department operates under the premise that the first person from the government that someone in a mental health crisis encounters should not have a badge and a gun. This is the reason the department participates in OC Links and has partnered with clinicians and outreach workers to respond to mental-health related calls for service.

Providing follow-up case management is not only necessary but critical for the wellbeing of people experiencing mental health issues. Response: Agrees with finding Case management follow-up is an important part of the work being done by the Sheriff's Behavioral Health Bureau and OC HCA outreach workers. ORANGE COUNTYSHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT Mental Health Advocacy CHERI nealtCARE AGENC In 2021, the Orange County Sheriff's Department established a Behavioral established to support current inmates Health Bureau focused on the mental Theo Lacy Facility, and Central Men's under housed at the Intake Release Center, Sheriff's Department is committed to reducing inmate behavioral health Health Hotline numbers have been County Health Care Agency and SHENT AND AND AND AND AND AND AND AND AND AND In partnership with the Orange health and well-being of those other healthcare resources, the To aid in this endeavor, Mental COUNTY HEADTH STATES our care and custody. and Women's jails. ALTO S (O) SONAR crises.