Cases involving mentally ill residents on the rise
HANNIBAL, MO. -- Hannibal Police officers will soon have a better understanding of how to handle situations involving mentally ill residents.
Officers are undergoing special training due to an increase of mental health cases being handled by the police department instead of by medical facilities.
Hannibal Regional Hospital's Mental Care Unit closed in July.
HRH was the last northeast Missouri agency to end inpatient mental health services.
Money was the main reason the facility closed, state reimbursements did not cover the cost of care, and trouble recruiting psychiatrists to the area contributed to the decision to close.
Police departments deal with many of these patients on a weekly basis.
Each officer in the Hannibal Police Department will undergo this specialized training.
TV Station Profiles & Public Inspection Files forKHQA