Perceptions of procedural justice and coercion during community-based mental health crisis: a comparison study among stand-alone police response and co-responding police and mental health clinician response

The interaction of police officers with people experiencing community-based mental health crisis has involved the use of first responder police responses and/or co-responding approaches with mental health clinicians. Despite favourable outcomes, the consumer experience remains largely unknown. The aim of this study was to profile perceptions about the Northern Police and Clinician Response (NPACER) when the unit responded to mental health crisis compared with perceptions of a police only response. A total of 43 participants were recruited from an acute adult inpatient mental health unit and completed the Police Contact Experience Scale that quantifies perceptions of procedural justice and coercion. The major finding was that the NPACER model enabled greater perceptions of procedural justice and comparable perceptions of coercion. Although the NPACER facilitated clinical advantages, the nature of involuntary hospitalization may explain similar perceptions of coercion among the NPACER and a police officer only response.