ABSTRACT
Betty Rigby, the instructor interweaves her own experiences into a broader discussion of how police can improve their response to mental health emergencies. She offers a number of guidelines about how to deal with people in crisis, especially those who are hearing voices. Because today's audience is made up of hostage negotiators, this information is directly relevant to them. People holding hostages often claim that a voice is controlling their actions. Betty suggests clarity and simplicity in communication. Betty explains crisis cards, whose use Peter Campbell and many other survivor activists have long urged. Like the medical-alert bracelets worn by people with diabetes or who are allergic to penicillin, crisis cards tell police or hospital staff how to react to someone in a mental health emergency. Betty has learned to deal with her difficulties and spend less time in the hospital. Betty wishes that doctors would be more open about what they know and what they don't.
