MOULTRIE —
Moultrie recently was host to its first Train-The-Trainer (TTT) course for Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) sponsored by Georgia’s National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).
The TTT course is traditionally held in Atlanta, but local interest has been high following the success of previous CIT trainings for law enforcement officers here, according to an email from Lynn Wilson, chairman of the Mental Health Subcommittee.
“The goal is to increase the number of trainers in the area in order to expand training opportunities and make CIT available to more officers,” Wilson said. “Currently about 50 percent of MPD officers are CIT graduates, in addition to officers from the Colquitt County Sheriff’s Office.”
Other agencies and individuals participating in the TTT course included Sylvester Police Department, Doraville Police Department, Glynn County Board of Education Police Department, Glynn County Police E-911, Macon Day Reporting Center, Columbus Day Reporting Center, Tifton Day Reporting Center, Georgia Department of Corrections Lafayette Day Reporting Center, Waycross Department of Juvenile Justice Regional Youth Probation Office, NAMI Cobb, and retired law enforcement officers.
CIT trains law enforcement officers to effectively and humanely interact with persons with mental illness. The CIT course is approved by the Georgia Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST) Council. It incorporates both classroom instruction and role play exercises delivered by mental health professionals, other subject matter experts, and CIT law enforcement instructors.
CIT trains law enforcement officers to effectively and humanely interact with persons with mental illness, Wilson said. The CIT course is approved by the Georgia Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST) Council. It incorporates both classroom instruction and role play exercises delivered by mental health professionals, other subject matter experts, and CIT law enforcement instructors.
The benefits of CIT have been readily apparent in the community, leading to this effort to expand the program quickly, Wilson said.
“I have received calls from local citizens who wanted me to know how grateful they were for the expertise offered by CIT officers in helping them handle a mental health crisis with a loved one,” she said. “It is rewarding to know CIT is making a difference.”
Moultrie Police Chief Frank Lang supported local CIT trainers Rob Rodriguez and Gwen Knighton in bringing this opportunity to South Georgia. In recognition of his assertive promotion of CIT, Lang was honored in January as the 2012 recipient of the NAMI Georgia CIT Leadership Award.
Local News
Related Photos
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Attending the Crisis Intervention Team ‘Train the Trainers’ course were, kneeling front, Pat Strode, CIT program administrator, NAMI Georgia; front row, from left, State CIT Instructor Belinda Boldoe, Felicia Jones, Lucy Shaw, Addison Ford, Seth Walters, Jeremy Rodgers, Ashley Stafford, Melanie Rodriguez, CIT TTT instructor Rob Rodriguez and Alysia Mallory; and back row, from left, Marcus Jett, Chief Rod Ellis, Lindford Davis, Charles Yzenski, Jason Deyette, Mary Jane Garner, John Avery, Roger Miller and Moultrie Police Chief Frank Lang. Submitted photo
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