Community Members & Groups
Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training
25-30 people
One time
5-day course
A specialized program for law enforcement
Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training is an internationally renowned program in which participants learn how to keep all parties safer during and after mental health crises. The weeklong course covers essential information about specific psychiatric conditions; effective communication and active listening skills; suicide prevention strategies; and considerations in assisting specific populations.
It is a collaboration involving not only NAMI and law enforcement officers, but also local mental health service providers and family members of people living with mental illness.
The course is presented over five days, with the following highlights:
In-depth coverage of the types, severity, signs and symptoms of chronic mental illnesses. Also, the medications used to control the illnesses, as well as their sometimes devastating side-effects.
Visits from representatives of various local mental health organizations. Trained NAMI volunteers — both family members and individuals living with a mental illness — share stories from their interactions with law enforcement.
Fifteen to 20 hours of role-playing situations involving mental health crises. Paid professional actors enact the situations, which are based on real-life experiences.
Want to learn more?
Trainings are being scheduled by program leaders with the Colorado Springs Police Department and the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office. For information or to be connected with those program leaders, please contact NAMI Colorado Springs at 719.473.8477 or info@namicos.org.