Psychologist explains how depression affects the mind and body
Depression affects the body and mind in different ways. Dr Ali Mattu explains how to recognise the symptoms of mental illness.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness of Richland County and the Richland County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board will graduate the 32nd class of law enforcement and emergency medical personnel during a ceremony at noon Friday at the Mansfield Playhouse.
CIT stands for “crisis intervention team” and refers to a collaborative effort between law enforcement and the mental health community to assist officers in responding to incidents involving people suffering from mental illness. The program emphasizes the need for advanced training and specialization for first responders, the immediacy of crisis response for people with mental illness, an emphasis on officer and consumer safety, and referrals to get people in crisis to appropriate mental health treatment instead of incarceration.
Developed in the late ’80s, CIT built on the work of NAMI’s Family Advocates and a Community Task Force made up of law enforcement, mental health and addiction professionals, and consumer advocates. An intensive 40-hour training curriculum was developed that focused on scenarios based on actual incidents. Other parts of the training include individual diagnosis, medication, de-escalation, civil litigation and court procedures, and the perspective of consumers with mental illness and their families.
Since 2004, Richland County has trained more than 640 law enforcement officers and emergency responders.
