Another tool in the tool belt

In 1988, a man experiencing a mental health crisis was shot by the Memphis Police Department during an exchange. The public has described a need for new ways for law enforcement to handle mental health calls in the years since. The Memphis Police Department, the Memphis Chapter of NAMI, The University of Tennessee Medical School and the University of Memphis collaborated to improve police training and procedures in response to mental illness. This training became known as the Crisis Intervention Team, or CIT. In the midst of the pandemic, NAMI of Seneca, Sandusky and Wyandot counties launched a pilot project, the first hybrid Crisis Intervention Team Training Academy, to provide ongoing training opportunities for first responders. CIT teaches first responders new skills to recognize and respond to a crisis situation and safely de-escalate it. The Northwest Ohio CIT program is coordinated by David Olds, who has spent the past 28 years in law enforcement and is the former Chief of Police of Upper Sandusky. The program is built to be a community response to assisting those experiencing a mental health crisis. During Olds' time as the Chief of Police for Upper Sandusky, he sought out a training program geared toward de-escalation. A colleague of his from Toledo Police Department introduced Olds to CIT training. From there, he sent some of his officers to the training who returned with important skills and knowledge to provide better services to those in mental health crises. That was when he came in contact with NAMI SSW, who then trained all of the Upper Sandusky Police Department in CIT. "The main idea behind CIT training is to give officers another tool in their tool belt to handle these situations and recognize that not all calls are handled the same way," Olds said. "It is also meant to provide for a better outcome for those who are suffering during a crisis," said Olds. He explained that CIT training focuses on the safety of both the officer and the person experiencing the crisis. He said that the training aims to reduce the number of arrests from mental health calls as well. "When I first started in law enforcement, I remember getting one mental health call every couple of months. Then it went to one call a week, to one a day, to a couple of calls every day," Olds said. "There is a rising need for CIT." The program helps officers and first responders to de-escalate the situation when it is possible and appropriate to make the incident safer for all involved. "There is a gap in emergency crisis situations to help the individual in that crisis state, so law enforcement became the frontline, being the only ones out there to respond to the situation," said NAMI SSW Executive Director Melanie White. "Nobody is signing up to be a mental health provider, but they are the frontline today. "CIT doesn't work 100% of the time. You can try but it's not always applicable or you cannot even attempt it. We stress to try but not put yourself at risk. De-escalation cannot solve everything," Olds said. To inquire about CIT training for first responders and law enforcement, contact the NAMI SSW office at (419) 334-8021.