Eastern Idaho Crisis Intervention Team receives Gold Certification
The following is from a press release from the Bonneville County Sheriff's Office.
BONNEVILLE COUNTY, Idaho (BCSO) - The Region 7 Crisis Intervention Team (“CIT”) has been awarded Gold Level Certification through CIT International, a 501 non-profit corporation assisting CIT Programs worldwide. Since 2009, law enforcement, behavioral healthcare professionals, and individuals impacted by mental illness in the greater Idaho Falls area have collaborated to better serve those with substance use disorders, or intellectual and development disabilities with the creation of the Region 7 CIT program. Working together, these community partners have significantly improved the response systems for behavioral health crises, focusing on developing needed services, training first responders, and connecting the resources necessary for those who need it.
Receiving the Gold Certification from CIT International reflects the success of this collaboration in our community. Based on the “Memphis Model,” CIT programs like the Region 7 team have been spreading across the U.S. and abroad since 1988. CIT International was formed to help communities create a standard for crisis response systems and recommended best practices. A Gold level program is an outstanding program that has exhibited those standards and best practices for the benefit of their community.
“We’ve seen the overall effectiveness in crisis response firsthand through the development of the CIT Program,” said Bonneville County Sheriff Samuel Hulse. “It identifies resources that can be pulled into the equation, resulting in a more effective outcome for the person in crisis. It’s not just a training program but a way of more empathetically addressing people experiencing a behavioral health crisis.
“The positive impact of the CIT program on our community cannot be understated,” said Idaho Falls Police Chief Bryce Johnson. “We have seen it be embraced by our officers and know that it makes a difference as we seek to help people in crisis, which happens nearly every day in our community. We are fortunate to have great partners at the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office and with behavioral healthcare professionals that make this program successful.
The Region 7 CIT Program is a collaboration of key stakeholders like the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office, Idaho Falls Police Department, Bonneville County Adult Probation, Region 7 Behavioral Health Board, East Idaho Public Health, Behavioral Health Crisis Center, Idaho Region 7 Department of Health and Welfare, Upper Valley NAMI, Stewards of Recovery, Center for Hope, and several other participating area mental health providers. First Responders and Mental Health resources from outside the Greater Idaho Falls area also participate in training and collaboration to better develop and utilize available resources, benefitting East Idaho.
For more information about Crisis Response Systems and teams, visit https://www.citinternational.org/CITProgramCertification.
Other Community Partners and Sponsors of the Region 7 CIT Team include:
Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center
Idaho Falls Community Hospital
Mountain View Hospital
Madison Memorial Hospital
Rehabilitative Health Services
Region 7 Area Agency on Aging and Adult Protection
Complete Family Care
Idaho Falls Fire Department
Tri-County Sheriff’s Association
Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) Lodge #8
Idaho Falls Police Department Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) Lodge #6
SPAN of Eastern Idaho
Idaho Falls Rescue Mission
For more information on local crisis organizations you can visit the East Idaho crisis website.
