PHOTO PROVIDED/ THE VILLAGE REPORTER
CRISIS TRAINING … Fulton and Williams County participants in the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training sponsored by the ADAMhs Board included, front row from left: Senior Patrolman Chelsey Skiver, Stryker Police Department; Patrolman Emilyanne Cox, Bryan Police Department; Patrolman Ashlyn Figy, Edon Police Department; Police Department Administrator Chelsea Taft and Patrolman Joe Bandeen, Delta Police Department. Back row: CIT instructor Detective Justin Coffman, Bryan Police Department; Sergeant Josh Mercer and Deputy Tyler Borton, Williams County Sheriff Department; George Jutze, Owens Community College Police Academy Commander and retired Ohio Highway Patrol; Officers Jacaleyn Martin and Donovan McClary, Northwest Ohio Juvenile Detention Center; and CIT coordinator B.J. Horner, Four County ADAMhs Board.
PRESS RELEASE – Nineteen area law enforcement officers from 11 different departments completed a Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training sponsored by the Four County ADAMhs Board recently.
The CIT program was developed a number of years ago by the National Alliance on Mental Illness affiliate in Memphis, Tennessee, and that city’s police department following an incident involving a mentally ill person that ended tragically.
Today, the program is widely used to teach police how to safely and humanely handle calls that involve someone who is mentally ill.
This year, Ohio CIT is celebrating 25 years. Locally, this was the 16th training that the ADAMhs Board has coordinated in the last 14 years.
A total of 237 law enforcement officers from area police and sheriff departments as well as probation and corrections officers have now been trained in techniques that have been proven effective for de-escalating crisis situations involving mentally ill persons.
During the week-long training, a variety of mental health topics were presented to help participants recognize when they are dealing with a situation that may involve someone with a mental illness.
Mental health professionals who work for local behavioral health organizations also explained how mental illnesses are treated as well as the types of medications that may be prescribed.
The instructors’ presentations were supported by family members and persons with a mental illness who explained how they act and respond to others when they aren’t doing well.
They also explained how they would like to be treated and interact with others, including law enforcement.
During the week, participants learned that the assertive skills and approaches that police officers have been trained to use in a crisis often causes someone who is experiencing a mental health crisis to become more agitated.
BJ Horner, manager of community services for the Four County ADAMhs Board and coordinator of the CIT training, said, “Ohio CIT is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.
“We are excited to be a part of this program so we can continue to work with local law enforcement, corrections and probation/parole to offer such impactful course.
“The participants demonstrated a strong desire to understand how their response may impact someone living with a mental health or developmental disability issue,” Horner continued.
“They also actively engaged in presentations to learn how to use de-escalation techniques to reduce the use of force engagements, and then applied those skills in scenarios based on real law enforcement, corrections and probation visit situations,” she said.
In addition to Horner, steering committee members for the training included Bethany Shirkey, director of quality improvement at the ADAMhs Board; Detective Justin Coffman and Captain Jamie Mendez, both with the Bryan police department; and Brenda Byers with Recovery Services of Northwest Ohio.
With 237 law enforcement officers now trained in CIT in Defiance, Fulton, Henry and Williams counties, Horner urges family members or friends of a loved one with a mental illness to tell the police when they need help if the situation involves someone with a mental illness.
“And, request a CIT-trained officer if the department has one on duty,” Horner said.
