Resource Document on Risk-Based Gun Removal Laws

Healthcare Professionals and Extreme Risk Protection Orders: A Concise Review

BACKGROUND

Extreme risk protection orders (ERPOs) are one policy mechanism to address the critical public health problem of gun violence. The inclusion of healthcare professionals with ERPOs is a promising approach to expanding ERPO utilization, yet early evidence has not been examined.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to synthesize the current research on healthcare professionals and ERPOs.

DATA SOURCES

Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), PubMed, Academic Search Complete, and Web of Science were searched.

STUDY SELECTION

Studies examined healthcare professionals' role and function within the context of ERPOs.

DATA EXTRACTION

Relevant studies were reviewed and included through consensus of the authors. Data extracted included authors, objective, design, states, healthcare professional type, mental health professional type, healthcare professional roles/involvement and key outcomes.

DATA SYNTHESIS

There is unfamiliarity with ERPOs among healthcare professionals. Healthcare professionals lack ERPO knowledge and are unclear about ethical and legal ERPO liability.

CONCLUSION

The available evidence suggests that healthcare professionals have an important role in ERPOs, but critical gaps in ERPO knowledge, training/resources, and liability will limit use and effectiveness of healthcare professionals, including nurses, in the role of ERPO petitioner.

A 20-year follow-up survey of police officers' experience with Tarasoff warnings: How law enforcement reacts to clinicians' duty to protect

Since the Tarasoff case of 1976, mental health professionals are recognized to have a "duty to protect" third-party targets from violence-threatening patients, but little is known about what happens after clinicians warn law enforcement. In 2000, Huber et al. published a study that surveyed Michigan police about "Tarasoff warnings." We conducted a 20-year follow-up study, inviting all Michigan police and sheriff departments to participate. There were no significant differences between studies about knowledge of Tarasoff-related policies, which was low in both surveys. We found significant decreases in the number of officers who had ever intervened due to warning calls. Of the survey respondents, 83% supported documenting warning calls. For those who received warnings, 96% followed up with at least one intervention. In both studies, notifying other officers was the most common action taken. 56% said they would take action to remove a firearm. We identified opportunities for training law enforcement.