Police Mental Health Training

Averting Crisis with Clear Communication

Conventional wisdom holds that upwards of 70 percent of all communication is non-verbal. Non-verbal communication is especially critical when interacting with individuals who are cognitively impaired or in the grips of a mental health crisis-times when verbal communication is often confused, confusing, or absent altogether. Now, more than ever, officers need to learn to quickly and correctly distinguish pre-event indicators from signs of distress or agitation not indicative of impending violence.

Immersive, Critical Incident Simulation Training Solutions

The MILO system is a full “human interaction simulator” and comes with a standard library of hundreds of varied, high-definition role-playing scenarios, each with branching decision trees. These features are especially valuable in training for crisis intervention, whether the officer needs to respond to a person under the influence of drugs or in crisis.

MILO-simulated scenarios are optimized to create opportunities for officers to practice their de-escalation skills in true-to-life situations, with all the complexity, nuance, and emotional pressures these bring. Scenarios range from relatively straightforward procedures to much more challenging situations, such as those involving domestic disputes, elder care issues, or individuals in the grips of a mental-health crisis or under the influence of drugs and alcohol. As first responders, officers can manage the incident while awaiting the arrival of mental health professionals or others trained in critical incident stress management. Critical incident management is more than engaging in an intervention — it requires the law enforcement officer to use their full set of skills (everything from gauging the reaction of an individual to stress management) in order to ensure the best possible outcome.

Simulation-Based Mental Health Training for Law Enforcement

MILO simulation scenarios are designed and produced in consultation with active law enforcement and mental health experts. The branching scenarios are flexible, allowing the instructor to escalate and de-escalate the situation as need. But each scenario is nonetheless entirely reproducible, so trainees can consistently force themselves to work outside their comfort zones.

MILO simulations rely on talented actors of the appropriate ages, genders, and cultural backgrounds capable of convincingly portraying individuals under the influence of drugs and alcohol, or coping with a variety of challenges (including age-related dementia and hearing loss, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, autism spectrum disorder, prolonged abuse, and the like).

By building emotional resiliency and cultural awareness through scenario-based training, officers are prepared to see, process, and move on with their job. They are primed to be as effective as possible at the moment.

Expand Close

Communication-focused Police Mental Health Training Tools

MILO police mental health training simulation scenarios are entirely communication focused. Our simulator solutions provide a sensory-rich environment, designed to trigger real and vivid responses in officers. Your instructor then harnesses these responses to guide your force toward creating the best possible outcomes.

MILO simulators are instructor controlled, with full audio/video capture and advanced logging, debriefing, and scenario developmental tools. MILO’s trainee-centered after-action debriefing process actively engages officers in mining each of their sessions for every teachable moment and opportunity for improvement. Trainees learn by seeing how they appear on camera, and how their decision will look torn loose from the context of the moment. There is no better way to prepare an officer to work in the fishbowl of modern policing.

Our partners in law enforcement consistently report that the real value in immersive mental health awareness simulation training solution is in the practice it gives officers in pinpointing every opportunity for de-escalation and containment, as well as clearly illustrating the ramifications of every decision.

Expand Close

Police Mental Health Awareness Training Solutions

We invest time in understanding your needs and policies upfront, then work closely with your team to develop and deliver the appropriate mental health awareness training solution. We’ll help you find the best way to integrate this custom solution into your training procedures, and support you in maintaining and evolving this solution as your policies and challenges inevitably change over time.

We don’t just sell equipment; we partner with agencies and their instructors to develop their ideal simulation-based training solution.