CRISIS INTERVENTION TEAM (CIT) TRAINING
40-HOUR CURRICULUM
1) INTRODUCTION TO MENTAL ILLNESS AND DISORDERS
This session is intended to familiarize officers with select psychiatric disorders they are most likely to encounter.
OBJECTIVES:
At the end of each session, students will be able to:
▪ Identify components of mental health behaviors.
▪ Differentiate between developmental disabilities and mental illness.
▪ Identify major symptoms of specific mental illness.
▪ Compare conditions of mental retardation and mental illness.
METHOD: Lecture, power point presentation
2) ASSESSMENT OF THE SYMPTOMS OF MENTAL ILLNESS
The purpose of this session is to provide officers with guidelines for identifying behavior that is symptomatic of mental illness. Emphasis is on the fact that officers do not have to identify or diagnose specific types of mental disorders, as this is the function of the mental health professional. Officers only need to gather sufficient information to assist in making any appropriate disposition.
OBJECTIVES:
At the end of each session, students will be able to:
▪Recognize characteristics of mental illness
▪Recognize characteristics of medical condition that might require EMS backup
▪Gather sufficient information so that appropriate dispositions will be chosen.
METHOD: Group Discussion, lectures, handouts and power point presentation.
3) HEARING VOICES EXERCISE
The purpose of this session is to assist students to better understand what it is like to experience auditory hallucinations while attempting to interact with others.
OBJECTIVES: At the end of the session the students will have:
■ Greater understanding, insight,and empathy of individuals experiencing auditory hallucinations and some of the negative effects related to interactions with others e.g. responding to directives, cooperating with others.
METHOD:Class exercise and discussion. The students will be divided into two groups, one group will attempt to complete a written assignment while the second group will play the role of “the voices” and recite random statements provided by the instructor.
4) EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUES
This course will prepare officers to safely and effectively respond to encounters with people displaying signs of mental illness and/or in crisis.
OBJECTIVES:
At the end of this session, students will be able to:
▪Identify relevant background information regarding a crisis situation.
▪Differentiate between useful and detrimental approaches when interacting with people ▪who have mental illness.
▪Use helpful approaches when interacting with People who have mental illness
▪Discuss components of CAF model of triage
▪Identify components to effective limit setting
METHOD: Lecture, discussion, film, and handouts.
5) NON-VIOLENT CRISIS INTERVENTION
The purpose of this session is to familiarize the officer with non-Violent Crisis Intervention theory and techniques. The intent is to promote flexibility and increase awareness in officers when responding to a mentally ill person in crisis.
OBJECTIVES:
At the end of this session, students will be able to:
▪Compare and contrast Police department use of force continuum with Non-Violent Crisis Intervention.
▪ Use non-verbal techniques to de-escalate a verbally acting out behavior
▪ Implement verbal techniques to de-escalate a verbally acting out person
▪ Identify physical principles of personal safety techniques and physical control to ▪ avoid client and staff injury if behavior escalates to a physical level.
▪ List team intervention strategies and prevention techniques.
METHOD:
Lecture, small group discussion, group activities, demonstrations, practice sessions, role plays and handouts.
6) FLORIDA MENTAL HEALTH LAWS: UPDATE
The goal of this session is to clarify and provide updated information on Florida Mental Health Laws. The role that officers play when they must determine whether someone meets the requirement for involuntary emergency psychiatric evaluation or when the court has mandated that a person be committed to a mental health facility will be discussed. Information on appropriate transfer protocols for people taken into police custody will also be discussed.
OBJECTIVES:
▪At the end of this session, students will be able to:
▪Identify situations in which a person with mental illness can be taken into police custody.
▪Interpret and apply criteria for involuntary emergency evaluation of people with mental illnesses.
▪Appropriately detain and transport people with mental illnesses.
▪Complete required paperwork to report contacts with people with mental illnesses.
METHOD: Lecture, discussions and handouts
7) TOUR OF DADE COUNTY PRE-TRIAL DETENTION CENTER
This session is designed to allow officers to observe the function of the psychiatric floors at the pre-trial detention center.
OBJECTIVES:
At the end of this session, students will:
▪ Familiarize themselves with the operating procedures of the psychiatric floors within the pre-trial detention center.They will also gain knowledge of system, its inmate’s accommodations and needs.
METHOD: Tour of Dade County pre-trial Detention Center, post-experience group discussion.
8) MENTAL HEALTH OF CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENCE
The purpose of this session is to assist the officer to differentiate between adults and children and adolescents with respect to mental illness. Age specific interventions are emphasized.
OBJECTIVES:
At the end of each session, students will be able to:
▪ Identify main issues pertinent to children adolescents that officers are most likely to encounter.
▪ Discuss selected psychiatric diseases of children and adolescents that officers are most likely to encounter.
▪ Use age appropriate techniques for intervening with children adolescents.
METHODS: Lecture, discussion and handouts.
9) SUICIDE ASSESSMENT
The goal of this session is to increase the officers’ assessment of suicidal behaviors in individuals. Basic interventions will be discussed.
OBJECTIVES:
At the end of this session, students will be able to;
▪Differentiate suicide risk factors for adolescents and adults
▪List possible warning signs of suicide
▪List signs of depression
▪List the components involved in the assessment of a suicidal individual and possible interventions
▪ Discuss myths associated with suicide.
METHOD: Lecture, discussion and handouts.
10) CONSUMER FORUM
This session will provide the officers with an opportunity to hear view points and personal stories from consumers. This will also give the officers a chance to interact with consumers in a comfortable and unofficial environment, reduce the stigma associated to the mentally ill and increase sensitivity to issues of mental illness.
OBJECTIVES:
At the end of this session, students will be able to:
▪Identify perceptions of consumers and families with respect to mental health and police agencies.
▪Discuss consumers and families expectations of mental health and police agencies.
METHOD: Panel discussion and handouts.
11) PSYCHIATRIC MEDICATIONS
This session will prepare the officer to be able to identify select psychiatric medication and to recognize basic symptoms of intoxication or withdrawal.
OBJECTIVES:
At the end of each session, students will be able to:
▪ List major classes of psychiatric drugs
▪ Recognize common side effects of psychiatric drugs
▪ Identify major drugs of abuse
▪ Identify symptoms of intoxication and withdrawal from drugs of abuse
▪ Use Drug information resources.
METHOD: Lecture, Power Point presentation, discussion and handouts.
12) COMMUNITY RESOURCES
The purpose of this session is to familiarize and provide officers with mental health and substance abuse resources in the community in order to assistindividuals with mental illness. Contact numbers, operating hours in addition to services provided will be included in CIT manual.
OBJECTIVES:
At the end of this session, students will be able to:
▪Discuss general guidelines for reaching an appropriate disposition.
▪Identify local catchment area facilities available to officers
▪Recognize alternate options that involve counseling and referral.
METHOD:Multiple agencies, community mental health centers and organizations form panel provide information on their agency. Brochures and additional handouts are provided.
13) CO-OCCURRING DISORDERS
The purpose of this session is to familiarize the student with the current street drugs in our community and the effects of these substances particularly to a person suffering from mental illness. Individuals with mental illness are commonly dually diagnosed; knowledge and facts of this topic is will provide officers with additional information in assessing situation and outcome.
OBJECTIVES:
At the end of this session students will:
▪Be familiar with co-occurring disorders and develop awareness of dually diagnosed individuals and their environment.
METHODS: Videos, instructor narration, lecture and discussion.
14) AUTISM
The purpose of this segment is to expose the student tochildren & adults diagnosed with Autism and provide them with a general understanding of the illness and familiarize them with signs and ritualistic behaviors they can expect to encounter.
OBJECTIVES:
At the end of this session students will:
▪ Be familiar with the definition and diagnosis of autism.
▪They will have a greater understanding of the social challenges, communication challenges, ritualistic behaviors, including cognitive, language, motor, and sensory in order to decrease the chance of escalation.
METHODS:
Discussion, guest speakers, children with autism and roll call video on Law Enforcement & Autism.
15) FACTS ON MENTAL ILLNESS
The purpose of this segment is to further increase the knowledge of the student regarding rehabilitation, recovery, support systems, government aid as well as different levels and entities of community support towards community reintegration and stability.
OBJECTIVES:
At the end of this segment the student will:
▪Have greater knowledge of the necessary components needed for the rehabiliation, support and stability for individuals with mental illness.
▪An understanding of the different levels of support systems such as treatment centers, residential programs, housing and governement assistance.
▪Gain empathy and understanding of the challenges individuals with mental illness face through the treatment, rehabiliation and recovery process.
METHOD:
Discussion, exercise, class involvment and participation
16) LEO SELF-CARE
This segment is designed to increase the student’s awareness of their own stressors and identify skills and mechanisms that can aid them in coping and managing their stressors.
OBJECTIVES:
At the end of this session the student will:
▪have a greater understanding of the nature of stress and stressors
▪identify the role stress plays in illness and disease
▪identify the general approaches to managing stress
▪will have a better grasp on their understanding of stress into their personal lives to minimize stressors they experience.
▪will describe the role of communication, exercise, nutrition, goal setting and managing time as they relate to stress management.
METHOD:
Powerpoint presentation, visual aids, discussion and mental health resources will be provided.
17) PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
The goal of this segment is to review and orally test students on all of the components of training related recognizing signs and symptoms of mental illness and the use of de escalation techniques.
OBJECTIVES:
At the end of the session, students will:
Have reviewed information and techniques learned throughout the training to reinforce knowledge gained and further discuss any pending questions, issues and/or concerns.
METHOD: Power point slides reviewing techniques on assisting someone with mental illness effectively. Slides include multiple choice questions, true or false questions and statements refreshing the students on key points of the training.
18) PTSD AMD TRAUMA RELATED DISORDERS
This course will identify causal factors of military veteran stress-related causes, conditions, diagnosis and symptoms while offering law enforcement with resources and services available. In Addition, students will be introduced to techniques and interventions which can create dialogue, rapport, and common reference points for application of negotiation and de-escalation principles. Officer safety principles are emphasized to counter the increased risk that may be encountered by law enforcement personnel in these situations.
OBJECTIVES:
At the end of this session students will:
▪Become familiar with trauma related disorders including post traumatic disorder,
▪Develop awareness of veterans and other individuals who may be presenting symptoms and/or behavior related to trauma
▪ Develop techniques that can facilitate de escalation.
▪Access resources and services specific to veterans and trauma inflicted populations as a whole.
METHODS: Videos, instructor narration, lecture and discussion, consumer panel.
19) CASE STUDIES/SCENARIO BASED ROLE PLAY
This session is designed to aid officers in visualizing different scenarios they will encounter, sensitize them to unusual behaviors and help them incorporate skills learned throughout the training.
OBJECTIVES:
At the end of this session, students will be able to:
▪Apply components of non violent crisis intervention model to assess a simulated scenario.
▪Incorporate basic responding skills to control the situation
▪Demonstrate de-escalation techniques
▪Select options and resources that is available to help resolve the situation.
METHOD:
Role-play, discussion, review of de escalation techniques and instructor/group feedback.
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