The Law Enforcement De-escalation Training Act of 2022 directs the U.S. Department of Justice to develop or identify effective existing training for law enforcement officers and covered mental health professionals regarding (i) employing de-escalation tactics and alternatives to use of force; (ii) safely responding to an individual experiencing a mental or behavioral health or suicidal crisis or an individual with a disability, including techniques and strategies that are designed to protect the safety of that individual, law enforcement officers, mental health professionals, and the public; (iii) successfully participating on a crisis intervention team; and (iv) making referrals to community-based mental and behavioral health services and support, housing assistance programs, public benefits programs, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, and other services.

In addition, the Department of Justice is expected to establish processes to certify training programs and courses offered by public and private entities to law enforcement officers and covered mental health professionals and to terminate the certification of a training program or course if the program or course fails to continue to meet the standards under the training curricula developed or identified.

Some of the requirements for training certification were outlined in the act, including (i) scenario-based exercises; (ii) pre-training and post-training tests to assess relevant knowledge and skills covered in the training curricula; and (iii) follow-up evaluative assessments to determine the degree to which, in their jobs, participants in the training apply the knowledge and skills gained in the training. Additional ideas regarding requirements have been identified through an ongoing stakeholder consultation process and analysis of existing programs.