Health Care and Law Enforcement Collaboration

Hospitals, health care providers, state government and law enforcement have joined together to create a common framework of how to care for patients involved with law enforcement, with the goal of enhancing communication and collaboration between health care and law enforcement. 

Comprised of representatives from the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), the Minnesota Sheriffs’ Association and the Minnesota Hospital Association (MHA), the Health Care and Law Enforcement Coalition convened in August 2016 to build relationships and improve collaboration between health care and law enforcement organizations. The coalition is an effort of a broad-based stakeholder group, including hospital security, police departments, county sheriff offices and hospital EMS.   

Health Care and Law Enforcement Collaboration Resources

The coalition created a road map of best practices and compiled resources that provide leadership and direct care staff with tools to build relationships and improve collaboration between health care and law enforcement. The road map includes sample policies, procedures, court orders and other resources. Best practice examples include scheduling routine operational meetings between law enforcement and health care teams, prior notification from law enforcement and communication to hospitals of the results of public safety assessments. The road map can be used to supplement workplace violence prevention work and its accompanying gap analysis.