Twenty-two law enforcement officers from Darke, Miami and Shelby Counties attended the 13th Crisis Intervention Team Academy presented by the Tri-County Board of Recovery and Mental Health Services April 9-12. To date 252 law enforcement professionals have been trained in CIT in the Tri-County Board service area.
Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Training is a nationally recognized program that teaches law enforcement safe and effective approaches to handling crisis incidents involving a mentally ill individual. The intensive 4-day training is conducted under the instructional supervision of local CIT-trained police officers, mental health professionals, consumers, and family advocates and offers practical techniques for de-escalating crisis situations.
CIT Coordinator Kim McGuirk, Director of Clinical Services and Evaluation for the Tri-County Board, said, "CIT continues to be one of our most requested programs. Officers tell us they now feel better equipped to handle calls involving mental health crisis, and those of us involved with mental health services have a better understanding of what the law enforcement officers deal with in the field." McGuirk added that there was so much demand for the Academy this year that a second academy is planned for December.
The training is underwritten by the Tri-County Board's mental health levy, by grants from the Ohio chapter of the National Alliance for Mental Illness and NAMI of Darke, Miami and Shelby Counties, and by in-kind donations of food by local vendors.
The Tri-County Board also presents CIT companion courses and other training for mental health professionals, dispatchers, court personnel and other groups. For more information about the CIT Academy or companion courses, see the Tri-County Board's website at www.tcbmds.org/community.
Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Training is a nationally recognized program that teaches law enforcement safe and effective approaches to handling crisis incidents involving a mentally ill individual. The intensive 4-day training is conducted under the instructional supervision of local CIT-trained police officers, mental health professionals, consumers, and family advocates and offers practical techniques for de-escalating crisis situations.
CIT Coordinator Kim McGuirk, Director of Clinical Services and Evaluation for the Tri-County Board, said, "CIT continues to be one of our most requested programs. Officers tell us they now feel better equipped to handle calls involving mental health crisis, and those of us involved with mental health services have a better understanding of what the law enforcement officers deal with in the field." McGuirk added that there was so much demand for the Academy this year that a second academy is planned for December.
The training is underwritten by the Tri-County Board's mental health levy, by grants from the Ohio chapter of the National Alliance for Mental Illness and NAMI of Darke, Miami and Shelby Counties, and by in-kind donations of food by local vendors.
The Tri-County Board also presents CIT companion courses and other training for mental health professionals, dispatchers, court personnel and other groups. For more information about the CIT Academy or companion courses, see the Tri-County Board's website at www.tcbmds.org/community.
 |  |
RSS Feed
