Yasmeen Krameddine

Yasmeen Krameddine completed her PhD in Psychiatry at the University of Alberta, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Her research goals focus on improving the relationship between police officers and individuals with mental illness, so that fatal interactions can be prevented. Individuals with psychiatric problems, and addictions are significantly more prone to end up in interactions with police. These interactions sometime lack understanding between both parties and it is her focus to change this interaction for the better. 

She has created a new training program incorportaing professional actors in role-play based scenarios. This program engages officers both intellectually and emotionally, allowing officers to practice their skills in realistic scenarios, safely. Training focuses on communication techniques, increasing empathy, and improvement in de-escalation skills. To date her training program has been supported by outcome measures showing increased mental illness recognition, increase efficiency and decreased uses of force in police and mental health interactions. She is continuing her research as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Alberta and is also working alongside a company called ProTraining, as the subject matter expert (SME), through her Post Doctoral work, to develop her Mental Health Training program for police and security officers. Her work has morphed into an evidence based - 3 unit system comprising a 90 minute online component, a 4 hour hands on component and a 40 hour advanced component. 

To view the progress of this program please see www.protraining.com