Throughout the varied course of duties for
law enforcement, we frequently have contact with persons suffering from serious
emotional problems or mental disease. Sometimes those afflicted have been
diagnosed and treated effectively, but other times people may have undiagnosed
mental health issues, or have chosen to stop or delay their treatment options.
Unfortunately for law enforcement, we are somewhat limited in what our options
are in responding to persons with mental health problems. If someone is
contacted by the Police because the state of their mental health has somehow
contributed to their disturbing or criminal behavior, they may have the option
to admit themselves to a mental health facility for evaluation and treatment,
depending on the severity of their actions. Otherwise, when persons are deemed
to be a danger to themselves or others, the only other choices for the Police
are to incarcerate them at the jail, or to proceed with an Emergency Detention
at the Mendota Mental Health Center, coordinated through the Dane County Mental
Health Center. This is also known as a Chapter 51 commitment.
For students at the UW-Madison, the University Health Services (UHS) offers mental health counseling and intervention services, most of which are prepaid through student fees and tuition. This is a valuable resource for any student who feels stressed, anxious, or having difficulty coping with school, or personal problems. For students who seek out assistance from UHS, counseling services are available for individual or group type sessions. These sessions can focus on stress management, alcohol and drug abuse, anxiety, depression, and relationship issues. For individual counseling, the professionals at UHS use brief, goal-focused counseling methods. According to UHS, the staff finds that many personal issues can be addressed effectively in a brief period. If you are looking for more extensive services, you have the option of joining group counseling or receiving a referral to an appropriate community resource. All sessions are private and confidential. If further assessment and medications are deemed appropriate, a referral to a UHS psychiatric professional can be made. For more information on student health check out the UHS website at: http://www.uhs.wisc.edu
For UW staff and employees, most should have some form of mental health treatment options covered through their health care provider. But another simple option for employees struggling with personal or work-related emotional problems is the Employee Assistance Office, located in room 226 at Lowell Hall. The Employee Assistance Office offers free and confidential services and resources for a wide range of topics including; anger control, alcohol & drug abuse, family & financial problems, and other emotional problems. For more detailed information visit the EAO website at: http://eao.wisc.edu/faq/
Unfortunately, many of us probably know someone who needs help and support for emotional issues, especially if stress and a lack of coping skills has triggered changes in their personality or daily activity. This is a reminder that mental health resources are available for staff and students, and friends, family and co-workers should be free to share their concerns and communicate those concerns with each other and the appropriate authorities.
