For Immediate Release

Thursday, April 21, 2016

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: john@jgpr.net

Concord Police Host Mental Health Training Program

50 Emergency Responders in Attendance

CONCORD — Chief Joseph O’Connor announces that the Concord Police Department hosted a training on dementia and mental health for first responders this week.

The two-day training session was held at Concord-Carlisle High School, 500 Walden St., on April 19 and 20. Fifty police officers and public safety dispatchers from five surrounding communities – Carlisle, Acton, Holliston, Stow, and Lexington – attended the training.

The training consisted of two parts: the first focused on how to address the challenges of dementia, including how to, as a first responder, effectively communicate with those suffering from dementia. The second part focused on dealing with various mental health diagnoses, including what to look for and how to best approach individuals with a psychiatric illness. Instructors from Elliot Community Human Services led the latter half of the training.

Concord Police collaborated with staff from ComForCare Home Care, a non-medical personal care provider specializing in dementia care services, to offer the program. Topics covered during training included critical facts about dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, how to recognize dementia, effective communication techniques, and how to address associated challenges, such as aggressive behavior.

Information on the community population and training materials were provided by CareOne at Concord, a senior care company specializing in Alzheimer’s and medical management programs.

“We are both thankful and proud to present another training program to our department and local first responders,” Chief O’Connor said. “Our department is committed to continuing this type of education in order to better ourselves and our relationship to the community we serve.”

###