DPSST DPSST Mental Health and Crisis Intervention 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In DPSST training, which acronym is often used to assess a subject's mental status during a crisis call?
- MOAB (Management of Aggressive Behavior) (Correct answer)
- PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder)
- HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)
- BOLO (Be On the Lookout)
Correct answer: MOAB (Management of Aggressive Behavior)
MOAB (Management of Aggressive Behavior) is a framework taught in DPSST training for assessing and managing subjects who may become violent.
Question 2: DPSST training on suicide intervention instructs officers to:
- Remove potential means of self-harm when safely possible (Correct answer)
- Immediately retreat and wait for mental health professionals
- Deny the subject's feelings to reduce attention-seeking behavior
- Handcuff the subject as a precautionary safety measure
Correct answer: Remove potential means of self-harm when safely possible
Safely removing access to means of self-harm (weapons, medications) reduces lethality while officers work to de-escalate the situation.
Question 3: Under DPSST standards, which statement best describes the purpose of Mobile Crisis Teams (MCTs)?
- Co-responder teams pairing officers with mental health clinicians for crisis calls (Correct answer)
- SWAT units trained in psychiatric holds
- Hotlines for officers to consult before responding to mental health calls
- Specialized units that replace officers on all mental health calls
Correct answer: Co-responder teams pairing officers with mental health clinicians for crisis calls
MCTs pair law enforcement officers with mental health clinicians to provide a more comprehensive and therapeutic response to crisis calls.
Question 4: DPSST emphasizes that officers should avoid which common error when dealing with a person experiencing delusions?
- Arguing with the person about whether their beliefs are real (Correct answer)
- Asking the person to describe their experience
- Maintaining a calm tone of voice
- Giving the person space to express themselves
Correct answer: Arguing with the person about whether their beliefs are real
Arguing about the reality of delusions is ineffective and can escalate the person's distress; officers should acknowledge the feelings without reinforcing false beliefs.
Question 5: According to DPSST crisis intervention principles, 'verbal judo' refers to:
- Using words strategically to redirect and defuse a volatile situation (Correct answer)
- Shouting commands to overwhelm a subject's resistance
- Documenting verbal exchanges during a crisis for court use
- Calling for backup using coded radio language
Correct answer: Using words strategically to redirect and defuse a volatile situation
Verbal judo is the practice of using strategic communication—tone, word choice, empathy—to redirect a subject away from conflict.
Question 6: When a person in mental health crisis refuses voluntary transport to a treatment facility, DPSST officers should:
- Assess whether legal criteria for an involuntary hold are met (Correct answer)
- Immediately transport the person against their will without further assessment
- Leave the scene and file a report without further action
- Contact the person's family to authorize transport
Correct answer: Assess whether legal criteria for an involuntary hold are met
Officers must assess whether the legal criteria for an involuntary civil commitment hold are satisfied before taking someone against their will.
DPSST DPSST Mental Health and Crisis Intervention 2
In DPSST training, which acronym is often used to assess a subject's mental status during a crisis call?