Comprehensive Crisis Response and Intervention Training Program

Under Category 2 of the Collaborative Crisis Response and Intervention Training Program, the Louisville Metro Department of Corrections (LMDC) is applying for funding in the amount of $250,000 to address the overarching area of safety and well-being for staff and individuals in custody. According to the 2021 U.S. Census Bureau, Louisville Metro has an estimated population of  630,000, which is 68 percent White, 24 percent Black, 6 percent Hispanic, 3 percent Asian, and 4 percent multiracial. The current in-custody jail population totals 1,250 individuals with 40% White, 56% Black, 4% Hispanic, and 1% Asian. This proposal seeks to plan, develop, and implement a comprehensive jail-based crisis response and intervention training program. As part of the planning, LMDC will collaborate with the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) technical assistance providers to provide expertise and assist in the planning and development of a comprehensive training curriculum that anticipates future deployment models based on the training needs of the agency. These evidence-based programs will be planned, developed, and implemented with a focus on disability awareness and crisis response trauma-informed best practices designed to increase staff understanding of behavioral health conditions and disabilities, and to improve de-escalation skills of the staff employed at LMDC. Additionally, this proposal seeks funding to improve cultural awareness of the corrections profession and correctional officer wellness and resiliency by providing employees of the jail access to behavioral health resources, training on stress management, and promoting a healthy work-life balance.

LMDC will establish a partnership with the Louisville Bounce Coalition, a local organization that educates and trains to build resiliency for individuals and families. The Bounce Coalition provides training on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and promotes strategies to create healing-centered, trauma informed environments, provides education on building resilient workplaces, conducts community learning and discussion opportunities, and advocates for policies that support people who have experienced trauma. The partnership will provide evaluation services to measure impact and to assess its effectiveness and identify areas for improvement. Louisville Metro will also create a formal partnership with a program such as AMEND at University of California San Francisco (UCSF) or University of Connecticut. Amend is a public health and human rights program that works in carceral settings to reduce the debilitating health effects of custody settings on both staff and individuals in custody. These programs offer a multi-year immersive program drawing on practices in Norway and elsewhere to inspire changes in correctional cultures.