Representative Thomas Caltagirone, D-Berks, has sponsored a bill requiring mental health training for police and district judges. Under the current system, he claims that many people who should be treated in a mental health clinic are instead placed in jail because there is not enough room.
One solution he recommends is to use closed prisons for these potential patients and make them into mental health facilities.
Caltagirone also commends Allegheny county for taking the initiative to hold training sessions for law enforcement officials.
Mary Jo Dixon, administrator for the bureau of adult mental health services for Allegheny county, talked in depth about the different types of training sessions for Pittsburgh Police and correctional officers, including crisis intervention training.
These training sessions along with addition sessions for district judges is the aim of the bill.
