Marla M. Kingkade has over 39 years of experience working with law enforcement, behavioral health providers, and community leaders, providing her with a broad perspective on the intersection of public safety and behavioral health.6
Marla began her career developing and implementing juvenile diversion programs for the El Cajon Police Department, La Mesa Police Department, and the San Diego Police Department. These programs were designed to provide early intervention and alternative solutions for at-risk youth, helping to reduce recidivism and promote positive outcomes through collaboration between law enforcement, schools, and community resources.
In 1996, Marla developed and implemented the Psychiatric Emergency Response Team (PERT) in San Diego County, a pioneering program that pairs mental health clinicians with uniformed law enforcement officers to assist individuals experiencing mental health crises. Under her leadership, PERT has grown into a countywide program with 80 clinicians serving 11 law enforcement agencies. Her work in PERT has involved extensive collaboration with law enforcement agencies, the development of policies and procedures, and the advancement of community service initiatives related to mental health crisis response.
Marla currently serves as Past President of the California Crisis Intervention Training Association (CACITA), where she leads efforts to provide mental health, crisis management, and de-escalation training to law enforcement and behavioral health professionals throughout California. Through CACITA, she works closely with agencies to address their specific needs, helping them strengthen their crisis response strategies and better support both their personnel and the communities they serve.
Recognizing the growing need for specialized training in crisis de-escalation, Marla was hired by the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office to implement a countywide de-escalation training program following the enactment of Assembly Bill 392. Through this initiative, she collaborated with law enforcement agencies, behavioral health providers, and community leaders to create a comprehensive training curriculum. To date, the program has successfully trained over 6000 law enforcement officers across San Diego County.
Marla is also an experienced facilitator for the San Diego County Substance Use Overdose and Prevention Taskforce (SUOPT), where she works with public health officials, community organizations, and law enforcement to develop strategies aimed at reducing substance use and overdose-related harms.
With a strong commitment to collaboration, compassion, and effective crisis intervention, Marla continues to be a leading advocate for improved mental health response and training in law enforcement and public safety sectors.