The Mental Health Crisis Response Commission was created by Act 45 of 2017. The commission is responsible for conducting reviews of law enforcement interactions with persons acting in a manner that created reason to believe a mental health crisis was occurring and resulted in a fatality or serious bodily injury to any party to the interaction.
Additionally, the commission is tasked with:
- identifying improved outcomes within community service systems,
- educating the public about intervention in and prevention of mental health crises
- recommending policies, practices, and services that encourage collaboration between law enforcement and persons
- recommending training strategies for public safety, emergency, or other crisis response personnel that will increase successful interventions
Meetings and work product of the commission are confidential, other than publicly released reports.
The Commission’s 2018 report released in January of 2019 speaks of the Commission’s establishment and its initial work into reviewing the events surrounding the death of Phil Grenon. The report can be found here: https://legislature.vermont.gov/assets/Legislative-Reports/2018-MHCRC-Report-ARCHIVAL.pdf
The Commission’s 2019 report released in March of 2020 provides their conclusions and recommendations after their review of the events surrounding the death of Phil Grenon. The report can be found here: https://legislature.vermont.gov/assets/Legislative-Reports/2019-MHCRC-Report-ARCHIVAL.pdf.
The Commission’s 2021 report released in February of 2022 speaks of pandemic slowing their work and their ability to access secure files. The report can be found here: https://legislature.vermont.gov/assets/Legislative-Reports/2021-MHCRC-Report-ARCHIVAL.pdf
The Commission’s 2022 report release in February 2023 provides their conclusions and recommendations after their review of the events surrounding the death of Mark Johnson. The report can be found here: https://legislature.vermont.gov/assets/Legislative-Reports/2022-MHCRC-Report-Archival.pdf
Membership:
- the Attorney General or designee from a division other than that investigating the interaction: Assistant Attorney General Erin Jacobsen
- the Commissioner of Mental Health or designee: Care Management Director Allie Nerenberg
- a member of the Vermont State Police, appointed by the Commissioner of Public Safety: Lieutenant Anthony French
- a representative of frontline local law enforcement, appointed by the Vermont Association of Chiefs of Police: Berlin Police Department, Chief James Pontbriand
- the Executive Director of the Vermont Criminal Justice Training Council or designee: Director of Mental Health Mourning Fox
- a representative of the designated agencies, appointed by Vermont Care Partners: HCRS, Adult Services Division Director Kate Lamphere
- the director of Disability Rights Vermont or designee: Executive Director Lindsey Owen
- an individual who has a personal experience of living with a mental illness or psychiatric disability, appointed by Vermont Psychiatric Survivors: Board of Directors, Treasurer Zachary Hughes
- a family member of an individual who experienced or is experiencing a mental condition or psychiatric disability, appointed by the Vermont chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness: Board of Directors, President Chip Siler
- two regionally diverse at-large members, appointed by the Governor, who are not representative of subdivisions (A)–(G) of this subdivision (c)(1), such as an emergency dispatcher, specialist in interactions between law enforcement and individuals with a perceived mental condition, or a representative of the Vermont Human Rights Commission or Vermont Legal Aid: Vermont Care Partners, Coordinator Kristin Chandler and State’s Attorneys and Sheriffs, Executive Director John Campbell