How to De-Escalate a Mental Health Crisis

A confrontation in the yard can go bad in seconds. So, when one of the inmates from the residential treatment unit (RTU) challenged another prisoner with threats, obscenities and vulgarities, it could have easily ended in violence.

But instead of sparking an incident, the officers on duty stayed cool and contacted Melissa Urbanick, unit manager of the RTU, where the inmate lived and escorted him back “home” where he could get the care he needed.