CRISIS INTERVENTION TEAM - CIT

CIT is a collaborative effort between the law enforcement and mental health communities of Portage County.  It is designed to help law enforcement officers handle incidents involving persons who suffer from mental illness.  CIT is a community-based collaboration between law enforcement, NAMI (National Alliance for the Mentally Ill), mental health consumers, mental health providers, the Mental Health & Recovery Board and Kent State University.  Patrol Officers receive 40 hours of training in mental illness and the local mental health community, providers, consumers and family members.  The training focuses on providing practical techniques for recognition of persons suffering from mental illness, de-escalating crises, referral to services, and follow-up.  The Supreme Court of Ohio Advisory Committee on Mentally Ill in the Courts (ACMIC) has worked to encourage Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training state-wide.

Officers completing the CIT training program help direct persons with mental illness into treatment instead of inappropriate incarceration.  The training provides practical techniques for de-escalation, and officers learn to integrate their police training with different approaches to a person they believe to have a mental disorder.  Role playing is utilized to make the experience as close to reality as possible.

In 2007, the Portage County Police Chief's Association formally recognized CIT as a county wide law enforcement program and agreed to institute CIT within Portage County Police Departments.   As of April 2011, Portage County has over 155 CIT Trained Police Officers in 13 Departments. 

The following Streetsboro police officers are currently certified in CIT, and may be contacted at (330) 626-4976.

For further information regarding Portage County CIT or mental illness in Ohio, please visit the following web links:

www.mental-health-recovery.org

www.namiohio.org

www.citportage.ning.com/