Andrea Wright Dilworth authored this press release for UMMC.
The UMMC Police and Public Safety Department’s behavioral response team piloted in February was so successful at de-escalating potentially violent situations that it has been implemented as a full-time, permanent fixture with double the number of officers.
The rapid response unit, which responds to panic alarms and disruptive patient emergencies – also known as code white — was designed to reduce the number of workplace violence incidents and injuries to patients, employees, students and visitors.
Dressed in plain clothes with a weapon, badge and ID clipped to their belts, the four officers, working in shifts of two, intervene to de-escalate situations that might otherwise become violent enough to require an arrest or hospitalization.
During the 30-day pilot, the team of two, at the time, responded to more than 100 calls. When the pilot was over, the calls kept coming, helping to solidify its success.
Police Chief Mary Paradis, who requested that the BRT be made permanent, said she is grateful institutional leadership approved the request to fund the unit, effective July 25.
“In today’s world, law enforcement is routinely called to respond to folks who are experiencing a behavioral health crisis, and UMMC is not immune,” said Paradis. “Through empathy and community policing, we will be able to better protect our fellow UMMC staff and visitors.”
Dr. Jonathan Wilson, chief administrative officer, said the BRT concept was developed after tracking data from code white activations (which indicates to response personnel there is a disruptive person in the stated area), panic alarms and service calls to UMMC Police. After measuring the overwhelmingly positive response to the pilot, administrators felt confident about funding a permanent and expanded team.
“Funding new projects is always a challenge, but workplace violence is an important initiative, and the need was seen by leadership across the institution,” said Wilson. “We are fortunate to have the BRT in place to not only better serve our patients and their visitors but also to better protect our staff, students and faculty.“
In addition to reducing the number of violent incidents, the goals of the BRT are to cut back on resource waste, reduce clinical/patrol burnout and help with staff shortages, said Deputy Police Chief Joshua Bromen.
“Long-term goal - as BRT models the desired behaviors and de-escalation techniques - is all UMMC staff will become more skilled, ultimately reducing the BRT interactions, risk, and providing a better patient experience and recovery process,” said Bromen.
The officers, who undergo crisis intervention training through Hinds Behavioral Health Services, patrol the entire Medical Center while on shift. The BRT officers work a rotating schedule of 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, including weekends.
Andrea Moore, nurse manager III at 4 South Neurology/Neurosurgery, said her staff is excited to have the officers patrolling the floors full-time, and just a quick phone call away.
“The feedback that I have gotten is they are friendly, approachable and add an additional layer of safety,” said Moore. “I agree.”
The team has been responding to incidents from day one, including “aggressive patients, homeless citizens trying to get help, and visitors and patients expressing concerns about adjusting to hospital rules concerning COVID issues,” said Sergeant Shaun Hiley, who oversees the team. “We have also been called by nursing staff for patients just needing to talk to someone because they are having a bad day.”
The interventions are not limited to patient disputes, said Hiley, who is joined by Officers Garry Lee (who worked during the pilot with Hiley), Sharkey Ford and Shanice Mays.
“What I have learned is that not only do patients have issues and concerns, but our students and staff have issues that need attention, too,” said Hiley. “We have to have compassion, listening skills, be sympathetic and understanding, but also protective.”
By wearing plain clothes, the officers appear more like people who may be in a crisis situation, which lessens the likelihood they’ll be considered a threat, said Hiley.
The BRT concept is the first of its kind in the state, said Wilson.
“You won’t find a program like this anywhere else in Mississippi,” said Wilson. “This is a monumental step in our efforts to reduce workplace violence.”
Non-emergency calls for the BRT should be made to 601-984-1360. For emergencies, call 601-815-7777.
36 comments:
There is a real, genuine mass psychosis taking over this state and this nation. I have been reading a lot about stage hypnosis and also the techniques taught by pickup artists. Make no mistake, people really do know how to hack the human mind without even touching you. They just control the flow of stimulation and the human lab rats are immediately obedient.
what a load of poo.
Make love, not war.
Ruh roh, the "men in the white coats" are en route. Be cool.
“You won’t find a program like this anywhere else in Mississippi,”
Well, where else in Mississippi do you have family groups and friends of hoodlums who've been cut up, shot or beaten...allowed to enter, congregate in waiting areas, lounge around like they're in a flop house or soup kitchen, display anger, holler and shout, threaten to whup each other and the staff and cause general alarm and disorder...in a healthcare setting, night and day?
Go ahead and reap it, UMMC. You've sown it.
I prefer the strong arm approach.
If someone is acting a fool, I don't care about their feelings.
JPD once had a similar program, the Conflict Resolution Class. I assume it was abandoned due to non-participation.
Hopefully the next step will be PLRT, Parking Lot Response Team, to sweep for dead bodies, naked loungers, and other criminal elements stalking the nursing staff forced to park in The City with Violence.
@11:39
That’s a racist caricature and I’m not surprised that the bigot who runs this little hate blog approved your ignorant comment.
That sort of soulful emotion is why black music is so much better than any of the soulless noises whites have ever tried to pass off as music.
We need these teams everywhere. I can’t count the number of times a group of clowns has become unhinged and apoplectic in my business. Repeating the same phrases and curses over and over while flipping over anything not bolted down. One of them is always recording in hopes of catching something worthy of litigation. I don’t really get it. It’s like some sort of childish tantrum. Is this tactic actually effective anywhere?
FYI bear spray is very effective against unruly flash mobs.
College campi have what they call 'safe spaces'. UMMC is a 'safe space' within a 'safe space' (Jackson).
Billy clubs, rubber bullets, tasers and mace are cheaper than staffing two new positions.
Mental health is a valid concern in our society. A curse on some of the heartless posts on here. See you on Sunday School.
1:00 PM
As the poster failed to mention race, you, by assuming, have shown yourself to be racist.
Please, nobody feed 1:00.
He/She/They desperately want to make you mad and its not worth giving them the reaction they crave.
Can,,,can,,,,Can't we all just get along????
Hopefully this is successful and leads to better approaches when dealing with mental illness emergencies. Police really shouldn’t be expected to know how to handle some of these situations and clearly there would be plenty of work for a specialty group to operate and provide a real benefit to the state.
“ the bigot who runs this little hate blog approved your ignorant comment”, yes, and he also approved your racist ignorant comment.
What word, in the post you referenced, indicated race?? Why are you triggered so easily?? You folks need to chill.
@ 11:39,
You can find that at literally every single emergency department in the states at what was once referred to as "safety net hospitals". These institutions provide the majority of care for the poor and disenfranchised. There once was a major research effort that examined patient safety/hospital violence at these institutions and many many studies found that the primary threat of violence in emergency rooms existed from the outside coming in. I haven't looked at the literature on this in about 15 years but I would venture to say it still holds true. This issue has absolutely nothing to do with UMMC but more to do with the whole safety net hospital conversation.
But ya know.......that doesn't fit your whole "reap what ya sew UMMC sucks narrative".
1:56 & 2:21
Not surprised that a couple of country fried rednecks are ignorant of the existence of racist dog whistles and micro aggressions.
Well, the big question is ... are they as vigilant and effective as
the St.D parking garage "Marlboro Light" SWAT Team ?
"Well, the big question is ... are they as vigilant and effective as
the St.D parking garage "Marlboro Light" SWAT Team ?"
Man the memories of that bunch. Always a hassle. Always a cat and mouse game. They used to have a plexiglass box by the parking garage where the smokers would gather in their "Lung Cancer Center".
There was the one time they backed off on my ass for smoking a Marlboro Light. I was sitting on the curb at 10:00 at night with my head in my hands having a smoke. Dude walked up to get on me and I told him to fuck off, that my mom had just passed away, which she really did while I was with her.
this is usually a SWAT team.
3:35
Sorry dog but that horse has been beaten to death.
Sincerely,
Country fried (but tired of your bullshit) redneck.
"Not surprised that a couple of country fried rednecks are ignorant of the existence of racist dog whistles and micro aggressions."
Oh - you're referring to what most of us call "delusions" and "hallucinations". Got it.
@4:52
You may be the political authority in your mobile home park, but not anywhere else on this planet, Cletus.
@5:08
Every major company HR will fire you for what you consider to be “delusions” so good luck with that, Bubba.
1:00 - 11:39 here - Nowhere in my post did I mention race. All you have in your pea-brain is the cry of racism and the git down to rap. You obviously cannot participate in the social norms of the community, much less improve the community. What's left is for you to leave. the Greyhound's new location is posted.
Maybe they can help the mayor.
" this is usually a SWAT team" .
It is indeed ... for St. Dominic's.
The Dominican guys & girls have cutting edge equipment, like 2003 model golf carts to hunt down the cigarette smokers. ( Not to mention they all wear a goofy plastic version of the iconic "Smokey Bear" hat).
I guess my point is that I hope the new UMMC Special Forces Unit will be as effective
as the cigarette warriors in the St. D parking lots.
“ are ignorant of the existence of racist dog whistles and micro aggressions.”, you are correct. I am ignorant of dog whistles, because I don't respond to them, I'm a man.
Being a man, I act as a man. When I was a child, I acted as a child, when I became a man I put away childish things. To the best of my understanding, only dogs respond to dog whistles.
Maybe you should try being a human instead of a dog. Try being a member of the only race on the planet, the human race.
Microaggressions is one word, dog.
@ GM @ 7:16, it’s called a campaign hat or sometimes “campaign cover.” MHP troopers wear them too. They hold the brim with both hands at 10 and 4 and turn the hat clockwise to screw it on their heads.
Please don’t feed the 1:00 troll.
Why can't UMMC hold dispute resolution classes like Jackson did? Bound to work ...
It's about time! This approach is successful where it's been used.
There is no need to maim and kill the mentally ill and drug addicted.
You either retrain law enforcement in how to approach those impaired or give that task to others if you want to stop seeing the daily results and lawsuits paid with your tax dollars.
10:33 - These are not mentally ill people. They're simply there to moan over a brother or nephew who got shot or cut and they never got properly socialized or had any home training or experienced discipline, so they holler and act out.
Having trained there I can tell you that the gangbangers roaming the floors and raising hell in the ER waiting room are scary as hell. If we arrested "some dude" then all the crime in Jackson would be gone.
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