BATAVIA, OH — The Clermont County Crisis Intervention Team (CIT), a partnership between behavioral health professionals and law enforcement to improve community responses to people experiencing mental health crises, has accomplished much since 2011. The CIT celebrates its 10th anniversary in May.
The program follows a nationwide model that involves two components: 1) training first responders, particularly law enforcement, to recognize mental health crises and know the resources to assist someone in crisis with getting needed behavioral health treatment; and 2) improving access to the mental health system so that individuals in crisis can access needed behavioral health treatment.
The Clermont CIT program started in May 2011 with the first CIT training course. The following departments were the first to send officers through the CIT training: Clermont County Sheriff’s Office, Goshen Police Department, Loveland Police Department, Miami Township Police Department, Pierce Township Police Department, and Union Township Police Department.
In the past 10 years the Clermont CIT program has had many accomplishments. Ninety percent of sworn full time peace officers in Clermont County have received CIT training, and the majority of police departments in the county are requiring their officers to become a certified CIT officer. Access to behavioral health services has also substantially increased through the CIT program with the implementation of a mobile crisis team in 2011, a team of mental health professionals that provides face-to-face crisis services, and the expansion of the mobile crisis team to 24/7 in 2020. The CIT program also provides training to fire/EMS and 911 dispatchers.
If you or someone you know are in crisis or need access to behavioral health care, please call 513-528-SAVE 24/7 to talk to a trained mental health professional. The Clermont CIT program is managed and funded by the Clermont County Mental Health and Recovery Board.
For more information on the Clermont CIT program, please contact Lee Ann Watson at (513) 732-5400.