Crisis situations happen in a blink of an eye. In a school setting, children and youth are relying on school personnel to keep them safe. All school staff members need to be prepared to handle situations – including incidents involving mental health. The Mental Health & Recovery Board of Portage County is offering the 9th annual Crisis Intervention Team Education Collaboration training from July 18-22.
Teachers, guidance counselors, school administrators, bus drivers, and other staff members are invited to attend the 5 day program designed to increase awareness of mental health issues and develop crisis management skills. Topics will include cyber-bullying, de-escalation principles, autism, dating violence, depression and suicide prevention, child abuse, trauma, and street drugs.
Participants will learn verbal techniques and participate in role plays. Tours of the county jail and Coleman Access are also on the schedule.
CITEC is based on the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training for police officers. CIT was developed in 1988 in Memphis, following the tragic shooting of a man with mental illness by a police officer.
Two graduate credit hours are available upon completion of the class through Kent State University and Ashland University.
Registration deadline is July 8. The class will be held at Waterloo High School located at 1464 Industry Rd in Atwater. The cost of the training is $100 for the week, and an additional $300 for the two graduate credits. For more information, call Laura at the Mental Health & Recovery Board of Portage County, 330-673-1756, ext. 201, or visit www.mental-health-recovery.org/citec
