Chester County has expanded its internationally recognized Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training program to include specialized training tailored to responding to youths and veterans who are experiencing behavioral health crises. The CIT, the Crisis Intervention Team for Youth (CIT-Y), and the Veterans Response Team (VRT) equip law enforcement officers with the tools and skills to safely, effectively, and compassionately de-escalate situations involving a behavioral health crisis.

The three programs are held in collaboration with the county's human services departments, the courts, and law enforcement. The Department of Mental Health/Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities hosts the CIT and CIT-Y programs while the Department of Veterans Affairs hosts the VRT program.

Now in its ninth year, the 40-hour CIT program has graduated more than 400 participants. Officers from 31 of the county's police departments have participated, along with Chester County corrections officers, park rangers, sheriff's deputies, and staff members from Probation, Parole and Pretrial Services, Veterans Affairs, and the 9-1-1 Center. CIT is held in the spring and fall.

The CIT-Y program was piloted in Chester County earlier this year, bringing law enforcement personnel, educators, first responders, and community providers together to learn about adolescent brain development and how to recognize mental health symptoms in youths. Participants learned engagement strategies and how to connect youths with appropriate services and support. Chester County was one of only six counties nationwide chosen by the National Alliance on Mental Illness to pilot the program.

The county government's first VRT program, held in June, brought law enforcement officers with military experience together with community agencies dedicated to assisting veterans and their families during times of crisis. The VRT works to connect veterans with the resources and support they need while promoting safety and well-being. The next VRT program will be held in November.

The county government also offers one-day CIT programs for emergency medical technicians and 9-1-1 Center dispatchers.

For more information, visit http://www.chesco.org/3948/CIT-Crisis-Intervention-Team-Training or http://www.chesco.org/6000/Veterans-Response-Team.