A bill that would require South Carolina law enforcement to be trained to use de-escalation tactics in situations involving the mentally ill awaits the governor's signature.
The program, called Crisis Intervention Team, helps connect officers with mental health providers and hospital emergency departments that can teach them how to handle someone suffering mental health issues.
The 40-hour program is meant to train officers on active listening and would give them the opportunity to role play scenarios that could help a mentally ill person get treatment, rather than be sent to jail.