Guest Speaker at APCO 2024- Conversation Training for Speaking with Behavioral and Mental Health Callers
With increased attention on behavioral health callers, emergency call takers need better preparation for interacting with callers exhibiting mental or behavioral health breakdowns. In this session, we first identify unique challenges when interacting with a caller in mental distress. Then, participants will take part in an interactive training session on speaking with callers exhibiting behavioral and mental health episodes, such as experiencing PTSD, a caller preparing to jump, and a third-party caller phoning about a loved one. By the end of the session, participants will learn the importance of self-regulation, how to identify language practices that shape outcomes and ways of using your calls to find best practices for future in-house training.