MP concerned if mental health crisis officers will be properly trained

PARLIAMENT | An opposition lawmaker debating proposed amendments to the Mental Health Act has questioned the government’s readiness to train all future “crisis intervention officers” from six enforcement agencies and the Welfare Department.

Dr Halimah Ali (Perikatan Nasional-Kapar) said this was because the officers would have the duty to identify and apprehend individuals deemed to be “mentally disordered” who could potentially harm themselves or others.

“I read there are five categories of crisis intervention officers. It is stated here that (they can be) any personnel from the police, maritime, Fire and Rescue Department, auxiliary fire and rescue, volunteer fire and rescue, Civil Defence Force, and the welfare department.

“I agree, as mentioned by Kuala Langat (MP Ahmad Yunus Hairi) that medical officers should be included in the list because this is a mental health issue,” said Halimah (above).

“It is in the name of the Act and so they (medical professionals) would be more well versed in the psychological issues of mental disorder, and they should be included in the list of crisis intervention officers,” she said.

In its present form, Halimah said the term “any officers” used in the Bill was quite vague and would empower a large number of personnel with a heavy responsibility to identify individuals deemed as “mentally disordered” and subsequently make urgent interventions.

She further noted how the crisis intervention officers, unless given adequate training, could be unprepared for a tense situation when faced with a “mentally disordered” person who is attempting suicide.

“I would like to ask if the government is ready to ensure all those who are named as crisis intervention officers will be given adequate training and briefing before they are authorised with the heavy and high-risk responsibility.

“They will be empowered to break into a premise, enter a home… all these are tense situations, so I would like to inquire whether the term ‘any officers’ can be limited to only those who are specially trained,” she said.

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Ramkarpal Singh

Earlier, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Ramkarpal Singh tabled the second reading of the amendment Bill to provide crisis intervention officers from the listed bodies with powers to apprehend identified individuals.

This follows amendments to Section 309 of the Penal Code to decriminalise suicide attempts. - Mkini