I am really sorry that happened to you.

If it makes you feel any better (understandably it probably won't since clearly this isn't part of protocols in your system), some EMS systems actually respond to mental health calls like you lined out.

That is the case in my system. We still have to maintain scene safety though, and if the individual has a weapon or is reported to have a weapon, we have to hang back while the police make sure there is no threat before we enter the scene. This has usually worked out well from what I have seen myself and heard from others. Sometimes the police determine there is no threat, and we can enter the scene, or sometimes they bring the patient out to us because removing them from the scene will be beneficial to their care. Even if they had to previously be subdued (the most I have ever seen myself was a physical take down), and even if they are being taken into protective custody by the officer, we still treat the patient, and transport for observation at the hospital. If the situation has become serious, this often means the officer will ride along in the back with me "just in case" but it is usually just their presence that is needed (not action). Most of the time when the sheriff or local police rolls up originally the patient calms down real quick, but the officers in this county are trained to deal with mental health issues if they continue to be a danger. These arrangements usually work out well, and we usually end up being first on scene anyways. More than once we have cancelled the escort after assessing the situation. (Situations much like yours, someone is having a hard time, someone else called for them or they called the mental help line, and there is no threat of violence present). Not going to say we don't still keep alert for the situation to drastically change (we're still dealing with someone who is emotionally unpredictable in most cases, and potentially reckless to their own lives and others), but a lot of times just listening to someone and offering to take them to somewhere that can help makes a huge difference in their outcome that night. For us bringing along glasses, a purse, or arranging for care for a pet with a neighbor or family member is standard. You don't want the patient to be worried about their affairs when they need to be focused on their wellbeing, the polite thing to do is to help them with these things. Also dispatch considers mental health calls medical calls, and while some situations involve weapons, violence, and real threats requiring immediate police intervention first, a lot of them don't. Either way the patient is usually taking a ride with me in the back of the ambulance, not in a squad car.

Also as far as not having a bad rap with mental health cases in my county, I do know we also have higher standards for LEO's. A bachelor's degree is a minimum requirement in the state, with preference given to criminal justice degrees and emergency management degrees. I would like to think this helps with the quality of our force, and the good relationship EMS, Fire, and law enforcement have in our system. I realize this isn't the case a lot of places unfortunately.

Once again, thanks for sharing your story and I am really sorry you experienced this. Just know there are places in the US that use their emergency medical services for mental health calls as a standard, and that have LEO's with enough training to not escalate situations with mental health patients. I realize this was probably a ramble as well, sorry.