By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
Six members of the new Ellis County CIT (Crisis Intervention Team) Council were in Seattle, Wash., this week for national CIT training, thanks to a $10,000 grant from the Bob and Pat Schmidt Foundation of Hays.
NAMI-Hays (National Alliance on Mental Illness) applied for the grant on behalf of the council.
“One of the areas Bob and Pat Schmidt were always interested in was health in our community,” said Joe Jeter, Schmidt Foundation trustee. “When Tom Pitner (the founder of NAMI-Hays) approached the foundation about a potential grant for NAMI, it seemed like a no-brainer. It fit right into what we’re doing. We know Bob and Pat would be very pleased about this.”
Crisis Intervention Team programs are supported nationally by NAMI in more than 2,700 communities.
The lack of mental health crisis services across the U.S. has resulted in law enforcement officers serving as first responders to most crises. A Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) program is an innovative, community-based approach to improve the outcomes of these encounters, according to NAMI.
“High Plains Mental Health Center has always had a really strong and great working relationship with local law enforcement,” said Dave Anderson, a member of the Ellis County CIT and director of clinical resources at HPMHC.
“We rely on them heavily for the work that we do because many of the people who are in mental health crisis, law enforcement is often the first people that come into contact with them,” Anderson pointed out. “CIT strengthens that relationship. We spend a lot of time talking about issues in the community and the ways we can work together to help deal with those issues.”
“CIT in a community this size is fairly unusual. It’s usually in larger, more urban areas. We’ve had some challenges, but I think we’ve hit the ground running.”
Hays Police Chief and CIT member Don Scheibler spoke to the HPMHC board about CIT last month and explained the challenges law enforcement faces in dealing with people who have mental health crises.
CIT, which is ever evolving, began with the Memphis, Tenn. police department in 1988 following the fatal shooting of a mentally ill person.
“In 2016, we had the same situation happen here in our community,” Scheibler said, “and that really made us start looking at a way we could do this better, is there a way we could provide better service to our mental health consumers, and that’s how CIT grew out for us.”
“I’m especially pleased with the support of High Plains Mental Health Center and NAMI, and Ellis County law enforcement.”
Scheibler agreed that “law enforcement has become the de facto health provider for a lot of people.”
“We are often the very first people they see in a crisis. Better training, better preparing of our people in those types of situations is huge.”
Hays resident Joey Weber, 36, who had autism, was shot and killed by a Hays police officer during a brief struggle Aug. 18, 2016, following an attempted traffic stop for an expired license tag. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation determined the officer acted in self-defense.
The bill “Joey’s Law,” aimed at protecting Kansas drivers with cognitive disabilities, was signed into law by then-Governor Sam Brownback on April 7, 2017.
NAMI was actively involved in the Memphis development of CIT and continues to be involved in CIT, according to Dr. Sherrie Vaughn, executive director of NAMI-Kansas.
“We were active partners and collaborators for the implementation of CIT and growing it across the nation,” Vaughn said. She thanked Jeter and the Schmidt Foundation for supporting NAMI-Hays in their efforts to support the Hays police department and the CIT team.
“What a great opportunity that this grant award is going to give to you and your board in growing CIT here in Hays. I’m excited about what that’s going to do for your department, for your department morale and also for the citizens that receive your services,” she added.
Scheibler and Anderson attended an international CIT training program in Kansas City last year, where presenters urged CIT groups to have training for all their members.
ELLIS COUNTY CIT COUNCIL
Sgt. Brandon Hauptman, President–Hays Police Dept.
Sgt. Tim Deines, Vice-President–Ellis Co. Sheriff’s Office
Chief Don Scheibler–Hays Police Dept.
Chief Ed Howell–FHSU Police Dept.
Chief Taft Yates–Ellis Police Dept.
Undersheriff Scott Braun–Ellis Co. Sheriff’s Office
Brenda Basgall–Ellis Co. Attorney’s Office
David Anderson–High Plains Mental Health Center
Gina Smith–FHSU Kelly Center
Bob Piatt–NAMI Hays
Josh Tanguay–NAMI Hays
Pat McGinnis–Community member
The Hays Police Department recently completed the One Mind Campaign started by the International Association of Chiefs of Police. HPD was the second agency in Kansas participate in the intiative to improve response to community members with mental illness.