Number: 700
MemberFee: No Fee for Members
Contact: (309) 268-8430 or mtu8training@heartland.edu
* Two years of experience (from the date of hire) is a prerequisite for attending this course. *
This 40-hour program is designed to provide selected officers with specialized training on dealing with individuals in the community who have a mental illness or other behavioral disability. CIT officers are trained as resource specialists who can provide immediate response to calls involving a mental health crisis. The “team” concept refers to law enforcement involvement with stakeholder agencies, as well as interagency mutual assistance when appropriate.
During the week, students will participate in a variety of valuable exercises that will simulate auditory and 3-D visual hallucinations that individuals with a mental illness might experience. The program will also provide officers with a unique opportunity to interact with individuals who have a mental illness and their family members (primary and secondary consumers).
An essential part of the CIT course is scenario-based skills training. Officers are challenged with realistic scenarios portrayed by professional actors from Chicago and St. Louis. Scenarios may include a suicide intervention, de-escalating a violent situation, or responding to a call involving an individual experiencing paranoia. All scenarios are facilitated and evaluated by certified CIT officers.
Topics include:
This program is funded through a grant from the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board