Stay calm – don’t shout into the phone or at arriving officers or medical professionals. They can’t understand you if you shout.

 

Ask for a CIT-trained officer.  Let them know this is a mental health crisis. 

 

On the phone: Be ready to give concrete examples of the dangerous behaviors and to support your contention that the person is mentally ill. For example, say, “My daughter pulled a knife” as opposed to “My daughter wants to kill me.”

 

Calmly state over the phone the following information and be ready to repeat it to arriving police officers and/or medical professionals:

• Your name

• Your address

• Loved one’s name

• Your relationship

• Diagnosis

• Medications (on or off) 

• Describe what your family member is doing now

• Prior history of psychosis

• Any weapons in the area

• Clothing description

• Prior history of violence

• Things that would help or worsen the situation

 

Until professionals arrive:

• Be polite, respectful, reassuring, calm, and direct with your family member.

• Maintain on-going communication directly with the person and do not include others in side conversations.

• Do not try to trick or deceive your family member.

• Avoid immediately moving in close or touching the person unless necessary.

• Remove all objects with which a person may do harm to self or others.

 

When professionals arrive:

• Have all the lights on inside the house.

• Identify yourself.

• Carry nothing in your hands especially coming outside to meet them, in which case walk, don’t run to meet them.

• Don’t ramble.

• Be prepared to repeat the information you gave over the phone.

• State whether there is a history of suicide attempts.

• State whether your family member is violent or delusional.

• Have treating psychiatrist’s phone number handy.