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UP-CLOSE CIT Programs Offer Real Solutions Cost Effective While the expense of overtime and backflling shifts may be signifcant, CIT can be surprisingly cost-effective when compared to other police-related trainings. When it comes to fnding funding for a CIT program, coordinators should look to local, regional or federal grant opportunities. Common sources of online grants can be found at www.grants.gov, the Foundation Center (http://foundationcenter. org) or at Guidestar (http://www.guidestar.org). Grant opportunities also can be found locally from philanthropic organizations such as Rotary or Kiwanis Clubs. Wondering how to fll out a grant application? Instructions and samples can be found on the NAMI website. Another option is to enlist the help of local college stuCIT trained officers may be the best possible help for the helpless. dents looking for grant writing experience. With the exception of payroll, CIT training can be fairly inexpensive. If the local predialogue about what offcers can expect when they arrive on cinct training room is not available, community rooms at scene. Often family members are so accustomed to dealing neighborhood centers or local colleges can often be found at with erratic behavior they accept it as normal, so they can a minimal charge for law enforcement agencies. be disconcerted when offcers respond to their person assertWhen it comes to presenters, coordinators may fnd ively. This can lead to them becoming a part of the problem that members of the community are willing to volunteer instead of the solution. their time and experience to help educate members of law enforcement. These can include family members, those Open Dialogue who suffer from mental illness, representatives of local Providing an opportunity for discussion in a classroom enschool systems, mental health professionals, and local vironment about why families call 9-1-1 and what their exhospital staff. pectations are of law enforcement can help alleviate some of the misconceptions that could arrive during a high-stress inAdmin Buy-In cident. Do they want their family member taken away or are Getting command staff buy-in is crucial, but it is not althey looking for suggestions on how to calm him/her down ways easy considering they are being asked to send offso he/she can stay at home? How does an offcer communicers to a 40-hour training class. Many administrators will cate effectively with a parent whose child is in the middle of say it is simply cost-prohibitive to even think about taka mental health crisis? Opportunities for round table discusing someone off the road for an entire week. The fipside, sions can improve understanding for those on both sides of however, is the knowledge that offcers with CIT training the situation. could be priceless in terms of both liability costs and comLocal mental health professionals and members of hospital munity goodwill. staff can discuss what happens on the other end of the proIn his 2003 article "CIT Tool Kit" on the NAMI webcess. How do counselors determine if someone is a danger to site, Michael Woody, retired Director of Training for the him/herself or others? What occurs once an offcer drops a Akron Police Department stated, "If all else fails, remind person off at a hospital for a mental hold? Why does he/she the Chief that by working with the mental health commuget back out? Why can't they keep him/her on his/her meds? nity and the NAMI organization, the police department is Providing an opportunity to ask questions in a training taking community-oriented policing to its highest level." setting can open lines of communication and understanding And that is what CIT is really all about. between law enforcement and the mental health community. Those who work with local mental health organizations can Kelly Sharp has been a 9-1-1 training offcer and dispatcher for often provide lists of available resources offcers can provide 18 years. A speaker and author, Sharp also works with Portland on-scene. Community College's Emergency Telecommunicator/9-1-1 For agencies lucky enough to have disposable income, Dispatcher program in Portland, Ore. She can be reached at Kelly@ an Internet search brings up a variety of for-proft training kmsharp.com. professionals who specialize in CIT training and offer everyPost your comments on this story by visiting thing from listings of local resources to hands-on scenarios LaO www.lawandordermag.com and role-playing. 46 LAW and ORDER I June 2013