Scranton, PA – As part of the Shapiro Administration’s ongoing effort to enhance crisis response across the Commonwealth, the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) partnered with Penn State Health today to train Lackawanna College Police Academy (LCPA) cadets on how to effectively manage and de-escalate mental health emergencies safely.
The Keystone Model of Crisis Management workshop, developed in partnership by Penn State Health and the PSP Bureau of Training and Education, combines classroom instruction with interactive lessons to teach techniques that have proven successful in de-escalating crises. During the program, state police instructors, medical professionals, and behavioral health experts guided LCPA cadets through strategies to help them identify, respond to, and resolve various mental health situations using safety, skill, and compassion.
Our crisis training program provides law enforcement with crucial skills and knowledge to respond more effectively to emergencies, especially those involving individuals with mental health challenges,” said Lieutenant Alan Zulick, Commander, Use of Force Section of the Pennsylvania State Police. “Our workshop is a critical tool that provides participants with strategies to recognize different behavioral conditions, sharpen their decision-making, and de-escalate situations without risking harm to them or the person they’re called to help.”
Standardized patients from Penn State College of Medicine’s Clinical Simulation Center led scenario-based exercises, allowing cadets to get hands-on experience with real-life situations. Role-players interacted with cadets to simulate the scenarios, which taught valuable skills to aid in interactions with individuals with autism, psychosis, bipolar disorder, and depression with suicidal thoughts. After each exercise, licensed medical experts provided cadets with feedback on their performance and offered ways to improve their responses.
Through collaboration between behavioral health and law enforcement, the workshop equips participants with practical skills to recognize and respond to mental health crises with confidence and compassion – emphasizing thoughtful communication, appropriate intervention and connection to needed behavioral health resources,” said Stephanie Harvison, lead clinical counselor, Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.
The PSP uses the Keystone Model of Crisis Management workshop to reinforce the mental health training cadets already receive as part of their academic curriculum. The program is offered to law enforcement academies and agencies across the Commonwealth.
The training session was developed by staff from the Health Clinical Simulation Center, which is jointly operated by Penn State College of Medicine and Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, and instructors from the PSP Academy.
Since taking office, Governor Josh Shapiro has actively supported law enforcement and first responders in handling mental health calls by investing in training and crisis response infrastructure.
The Shapiro Administration launched a statewide Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Technical Assistance Center – a first-of-its-kind in the nation – to support crisis intervention programs across the Commonwealth, helping law enforcement and first responders keep Pennsylvanians safe by providing more resources during critical incidents.
The Governor’s 2026-27 budget proposal is committed to strengthening mental health resources by investing $10 million to bolster Pennsylvania’s 988 crisis hotline to expand access, support frontline providers, and ensure reliable, around-the-clock crisis care for those who need it.