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Crisis Intervention
Several communities throughout Florida are adopting or have adopted the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Memphis Model for law enforcement training. This model is proven as a best practice for effective response by law enforcement to people with mental illness who are in crisis. This training model is a 40 hour intensive and interactive program that emphasizes volunteer patrol officers and sets up a team concept within patrol divisions to be the first responders to calls that involve persons with a mental illness. The premise of this model, once operationalized, is that there is a minimum of one to two CIT trained officers on every shift in every district 24/7. The Seminole County Sheriff's Office participates in the CIT model and is working diligently to train all of their deputies.
The CIT training is clearly a community collaborative between law enforcement, mental health provider systems, hospitals, and families/consumers. It is very much a grass roots venture.
The CIT training emphasizes understanding of mental illness, including substance abuse disorders and how it affects a person's life, the development of communication skills, practical experience and role playing. Also officers are exposed to mental health professionals, consumers and family members both in the classroom and in the field during site visits.
This intensive training attempts to provide a common base of knowledge about mental illness and give the officers a basic foundation from which to build. The course is intended to provide officers with skills to:
- Recognize signs and symptoms of mental illness and co-occurring disorders.
- Recognize whether those signs and symptoms represent a crisis situation.
- De-escalate mental illness crisis.
- Know where to take the consumers in crisis.
- Learn about jail diversion options.
- Know appropriate steps to follow-up, such as contacting case managers, providing families with community resources.
- Learn how to problem solve with the treatment system.
What should you do if you have a family member/friend in crisis due to a mental illness or substance abuse issue?
When calling 911, ask for a CIT trained officer and one will be dispatched if available.
Who can I call if I have questions about services available in the community? Or if I have questions about a baker act, Marchman act, or ex-parte order?
We have a CIT Coordinator that may be able to assist you. Her name is Deputy Sheriff Shannon Seiple and she can be reached at 407-665-6731 or at sseiple@seminolesheriff.org
