Two from C.O. among group set to train police statewide in crisis intervention
Focus: Verbal skills for de-escalation in working with person in crisis
SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Law enforcement officers and their behavioral health partners are helping residents in crisis on a regular basis.
In an ongoing effort to support these professionals with specialized training, the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training is partnering with other public safety organizations to begin offering a Certified Crisis Intervention Specialist course statewide.
The three-day CCIS course is intended as an advanced training opportunity for individuals that have completed the 40-hour Crisis Intervention Team course already offered across the state. The CCIS course focuses on high-level verbal skills for de-escalation when working with a person in crisis.
The course was developed by Growth Central Training, LLC and is certified by the National Anger Management Association. Attendees receive certification from NAMA in crisis intervention.
Over the past year, six individuals -- two from Central Oregon -- have undergone intensive, developmental coaching from Growth Central Training to become certified to teach the CCIS course in Oregon.
These six facilitators will receive their credentials from Growth Central at the completion of their training on Wednesday at DPSST:
- Sgt. Liz Lawrence – City of Bend Police Department
- Linda Maddy, LCSW – Department of Public Safety Standards and Training
- Ridg Medford – Greater Oregon Behavioral Health, Inc.
- Sgt. Jason Ritter – Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office
- Sgt. Diane Stockbridge – Port of Portland Police Department
- Melissa Thompson, MA – Deschutes County Health Services
DPSST said in Monday's announcement it "appreciates each of the organizations listed above for their partnership in supporting these facilitators and the delivery of the CCIS course throughout Oregon."
## Background information on Crisis Intervention Training in Oregon ##
With staffing and funds provided by the Oregon Legislative Assembly and Oregon Health Authority in 2016, the Department of Public Safety and Standards Training (DPSST) in collaboration with Greater Oregon Behavioral Health, Inc. (GOBHI) created Oregon's CIT Center of Excellence (CITCOE).
CITCOE serves as a training resource clearinghouse which works with law enforcement and behavioral health agencies across the state to develop, implement and support CIT’s.
Currently, there are 26 CIT’s in Oregon and several more are being developed. Since the creation of CITCOE, thousands of first-responders around Oregon have received valuable basic and advanced training on how to assist Oregonians in crisis. For more information on CITCOE, please go to http://www.ocbhji.org/citcoe/
## Background Information on the DPSST ##
The Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST) operates the Oregon Public Safety Academy which spans more than 235 acres in Salem. The Academy is nationally recognized for its innovative training programs and active stakeholder involvement. Eriks Gabliks serves as the Director, and Citizen-Member Patricia Patrick-Joling serves as the Chair of the Board.
The Department implements minimum standards established by the Board for the training and certification of more than 41,000 city, tribal, county and state law enforcement officers, corrections officers, parole and probation officers, OLCC regulatory specialists, fire service personnel, telecommunicators, emergency medical dispatchers and private security providers.
DPSST provides training to more than 25,000 students each year throughout Oregon and at the Oregon Public Safety Academy in Salem: certifies qualified officers at various levels from basic through executive; certifies qualified instructors; and reviews and accredits training programs throughout the state based on standards established by the Board.
