West Virginia State Police cadets participated in immersive crisis management training on Sept. 9 at the West Virginia State Police Academy in Dunbar, West Virginia.
The training is designed to provide practice for responding to challenging, high-pressure mental health crises in a realistic and supportive environment. Standardized patients (SPs) from WV STEPS performed the case scenarios with collaboration from the WVU Critical Care and Trauma Institute.
The Keystone Model of Crisis Management was introduced at the WV State Police Academy by Lt. Kenneth Murray, director of Angel Initiative and Behavioral Health Services at WV State Police in Fairmont, WV; Elizabeth Sinz, M.D., M.Ed.; and Debbie Bellisario, M.S.N, R.N.
This training program was developed at the PA State Police Academy by Lieutenant Alan Zulick and Terry Brosche, MSN of Hershey Pennsylvania using a series of realistic crisis scenarios taken from actual police encounters that challenge cadets to apply their knowledge, communication skills, and decision-making abilities.
The training employs standardized patients who portray individuals experiencing a variety of mental health crises, providing cadets with the opportunity to interact with realistic, emotionally engaging scenarios. SPs bring an exceptional level of authenticity to their roles, allowing cadets to experience the unpredictability and complexity that accompanies real-world encounters.
“Because our SPs are skilled at accurately portraying key aspects of mental illness, the cadets become incredibly engaged,” said Lee Ann Miller, EdD. “The realism they bring to the scenarios create an opportunity to practice their skills in a way that a traditional classroom cannot replicate.”
Following each scenario, Dr. Sinz led the cadets through meaningful debriefing sessions with experienced police officers and mental health experts. These discussions allowed cadets to reflect on their actions, consider alternative approaches, and identify useful strategies for when they face similar situations in the field.
The collaboration between the WV and PA State Police Instructors, the Keystone Model, and WV STEPS demonstrates the high value of experiential learning in preparing professionals for high-stakes situations.
