The National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors and the Council of State Governments Justice Centre has released a new document“Responding to a High-Profile Tragic Incident Involving a Person with a Serious Mental Illness: a Toolkit for State Mental Health Commissioners”. This toolkit is written for individuals working in the mental health field who are often called upon by the media and public to comment after a high-profile crisis involving individuals with mental health conditions.
This report provides practical tools and resources for responding to high-profile crisis situations, including what to do before, during and after the incident. Relevant research, backgrounders and fact sheets are also included. This document offers a guide for communicating with, and providing information to the media and public regarding the incident. This document was developed with input from mental health commissioners, advocates, individuals with lived experience, and media affairs representatives.
To access the report, visit: www.consensusproject.org.