What is it about?
This study explored the experience of clients with serious mental illnesses such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder who were admitted to an Assertive Community Treatment team with police officers integrated onto the teams. Clients experienced less overall contact with police officers than before they were admitted to the program, and the times when they did have interactions with police were more likely to be mental health-related rather than non-mental health-related.
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Why is it important?
This study is important because it demonstrates that when police are integrated on mental health teams, client encounters with police are more likely to shift to a mental health focus rather than an enforcement lens.
Perspectives
This study provides an example of a mental health model that supports individuals with serious mental illnesses to live in their communities without unneeded and potentially harmful contact with the criminal justice system.
Dr. Erica Woodin
University of Victoria
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Changes in Police Contact After Admission to the Assertive Community Treatment With Police Integration Program, Psychiatric Services, January 2026, American Psychiatric Association,
DOI: 10.1176/appi.ps.20250020.
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