Reposted from EMR-ISAC

On Sept. 27, the National Association of EMS Physicians (NAEMSP), the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) and the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) published a position paper in the journal Prehospital Emergency Care, Best Practices for Collaboration Between Law Enforcement and Emergency Medical Services During Acute Behavioral Emergencies. Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and law enforcement (LE) frequently work as a team in encounters with individuals experiencing acute behavioral emergencies manifesting with severe agitation and aggression. A coordinated and unified response enhances the safety and effective management of potentially serious situations posed by individuals experiencing such acute behavioral emergencies. IN 2023, NAEMSP, IAFC, and IACP brought together a group of representatives to discuss this issue. The group developed this position paper to provide guidance and direction in the shared responsibility of managing and caring for a person displaying behavioral instability with irrational, agitated, and/or violent behavior. The paper discusses the roles of LE, 9-1-1 call centers (also called Emergency Call Centers or “ECCs”), EMS, and Fire. It provides a framework endorsed by the NAEMSP, IACP, and the IAFC that outlines a collaborative approach to acute behavioral emergencies. The paper is organized into sections that follow the steps of response, from the initial 911 call and dispatch to post-incident analysis:

• Processing of the call by Emergency Call Center (ECC); Crisis intervention teams and 9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
• Scene threat assessment; De-escalation; Self-preservation.
• Lifesaving is everyone’s duty; Duty to Act/Just culture; Subject or Patient?
• Medical Evaluation; Restraints and Patient Positioning.
• Transport; Transition of Care at Destination; Importance of Appropriate Documentation.
• Post Incident Analysis (PIA).

This 2024 position statement acknowledges the work of a 2021 position statement, Clinical Care and Restraint of the Agitated Patient by Emergency Medical Services Practitioners, which provided an important foundation for the broader discussion of the multidisciplinary collaboration that is already occurring between the emergency response disciplines for the preservation of life and safety. The 2021 position statement was developed by the NAEMSP, the National Association of State EMS Officials (NASEMSO), National EMS Management Association (NEMSMA), National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT), and the American Paramedic Association (APA).

See Original Post