2012 - Officer Chad P. Stanton of the Ohio State University Police Department, Wooster campus, left, and Kristopher Conwill, a former Sergeant with Wooster Police Department, received the Officer of the Year award.
Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) programs are local initiatives designed to improve the way law enforcement and the community respond to people experiencing mental health crises.
Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) programs are local initiatives designed to improve the way law enforcement and the community respond to people experiencing mental health crises.
The CIT program is built on strong partnerships between law enforcement, mental health providers and individuals & families affected by mental illness.
Nationwide statistics report 20% of calls an officer goes on involves someone with a mental illness. Our specialized CIT Training includes crisis intervention with an emphasis on understanding mental illness and how to de-escalate crisis situations.
Topics covered include introductions to psychiatric illnesses, substance abuse, risk assessment, suicide prevention, tactical safety and children's mental illness. During the week, officers attend class, experience virtual hallucinations and receive actual interactions with those in the community that experience mental health issues.
This 40-hour training course is provided annually at no cost to law enforcement personnel from Wayne and Holmes Counties, including police officers, sheriff deputies, parole, probation and correction officers and dispatchers. More than 260 law enforcement personnel throughout Wayne and Holmes Counties have taken this training since 2006.
Funding is provided by support from NAMI Ohio, the Mental Health & Recovery Board of Wayne & Holmes Counties, our Walk & 5K for Mental Wellness, Commercial Savings Bank, Wooster Rotary Foundation, and private donations.
NAMI Wayne and Holmes Counties CIT Advisory Council
First Name | Last Name | Position | Location |
---|---|---|---|
Dawn | Ross | CIT Coordinator | NAMI Wayne and Holmes Counties |
Brian | Bernhart | Sergeant | Holmes County Sheriff's Office |
Justin | Estill | Officer | Ohio State University Police Department, Wooster Campus |
Gail | Garrod, LISW | Director of Emergency Services | The Counseling Center |
Gwendolyn | Landgraff | Dispatch | WARCOG |
Bryon | Meshew | Chief | Creston Police Department |
Doug | Miller | Chief | Apple Creek Police Department |
Joshua | Miller | Hospital Resource Officer | Wooster Police Department |
Betty | Riggs | Assistant Director 911 and Dispatch Services | Wayne County Justice Center |
Cory | Seiler | Chief | Orrville Police Department |
Matt | Shaner | Chief | Millersburg Police Department |
Curt | Stauffer | Chaplain | Wayne County Sheriff's Office |
David | Williams, LSW | Chief Probation Officer | Holmes County Juvenile Court |
NAMI Wayne and Holmes Counties presents a CIT Professional of the Year Award for Wayne & Holmes Counties to a deserving professional who has completed the 40-hour CIT training, and has demonstrated the values of the CIT Program.