Growing CIT With State Government Support: Lessons From The Connecticut CIT Program Loel W. Meckel, LCSW Assistant Director Division of Forensic Services Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services

Today’s Objectives Understand why and how state government would support development of CIT Be able to make a compelling case to state government for collaboration and financial support to develop CIT Be able to engage your local mental health agency and other providers in supporting development of CIT

Who Are You? Law Enforcement Advocates for people with mental illness Family Mental Health Local Government County/State Government Other

Today’s Outline Story of CIT in Connecticut Your State Define short term and long-term goals Identify resources required Identify stakeholders Identify concerns of stakeholders Identify benefits of CIT Match concerns of stakeholders to benefits Develop a plan for your state expansion

Story of CIT in Connecticut

Connecticut Small state No County/Regional government No County/Regional law enforcement Police are local and state, no Sheriffs State operates all criminal courts State operates all jails and prisons State administers mental health svcs

CIT Expansion In CT CIT started in Memphis, TN New London, CT Police travel to Memphis for CIT training CT Alliance to Benefit Law Enforcement begins research on training Capt. Ken Edwards meets CABLE 2002 – CT Criminal Law Foundation, NL PD and CABLE join together

CIT Expansion In CT CT NAMI introduces CABLE to DMHAS 2003 – First CT CIT training; observed by DMHAS Forensic Manager 2003 – Capt. Edwards invited to speak at NAMI-CT Conference 2003 – NAMI affiliates in Eastern CT obtain private donations, help recruit PDs

CIT Expansion In CT 2004 – Second CIT training; Funded by CABLE and donations to NAMI affiliates 2004 – DMHAS awarded US DOJ funds for CIT expansion; 25% state match 2004 – DMHAS contracts with CABLE for CIT training 2004/5 – DMHAS funds training and hires CIT clinicians for 3 large cities and PDs.

CIT Expansion In CT – More PDs send officers to CIT training Federal funds end, State replaces and expands funding 2008 – Increase trainings/year and more DMHAS CIT clinicians hired 2013 – state funding has continued despite recession

Police in CT Municipal Police Officers6,700 State Police Officers1,100 Others ? Total 7,800 +

DMHAS-funded Training

CT 5-Day CIT Training 1,278 Police officers have attended Local Police Departments State Police University/College Police Hospital Police US Coast Guard Police US Dept. Veterans Affairs Campus Police State Capital Police Casino Police

CT 5-Day CIT Training 278 Others have attended Civilian police employees Mental health clinicians Probation Officers Parole Officers State Judicial Marshals EMS/Fire Dept employees FBI Agents U.S. Marshals

CT Police Departments 92 Municipal Police Departments Largest approximately 450 officers 81 Towns served by State Police 56 Have Resident State Troopers (115) 38 Municipal PDs have a CIT policy 44 PD have started training, no policy

State Role - DMHAS Access federal grant funds Obtain Governor’s and Legislature’s support for state funding Coordinate response from Local Mental Health Authority (LMHA) system Promote CIT benefits and accomplishments at state level

CIT In CT 2013 DMHAS Provides Funding Overtime coverage for Officers who attend CIT training (for PDs with CIT policy) CABLE – CIT training, outreach and support to PDs, annual symposium NAMI-CT - outreach and support to service providers, publish CIT newsletter

Mental Health Response Regional drop-off sites are not an option Need a local response to Police DMHAS-funded CIT clinicians in 6 metro areas DMHAS-funded LMHA Mobile Crisis Team clinicians can respond to police in other communities Local Hospital ED staff are included in CIT implementation

CIT Clinicians DMHAS CIT Clinicians CIT-trained, embedded in MCT Agency specialists in Police collaboration Paired with Police CIT coordinator Training and Consultation to Police Follow-up with subjects and service providers after police contact Occasional on-site assistance to Officers at scene

Your State Define short term and long-term goals Identify resources required Identify stakeholders Identify concerns of stakeholders Identify benefits of CIT Match concerns of stakeholders to benefits Develop a plan for your state expansion

Thinking Caps

Develop Your State Plan

Remember this … Your State Leaders Want The Benefits Of CIT Your Job Is To Show That CIT Addresses Their Concerns

Define Goals Short term – Describe the status of CIT in your state in two years Long-term – Describe the status of CIT in your state in five to ten years

Resources Identify resources required for your goal Collaboration Funding Training Support Others ________________ Identify the resources that you have Identify the resources that you need

Thinking Cap #2

Who are the stakeholders? Anyone who spends: Money Time Energy On people with psychiatric disorders in contact with police

Stakeholders Subjects of police contacts Law Enforcement Jails (usually local or county) - not convicted or convicted with short sentence Prisons (state) – convicted with long sentence

Stakeholders Criminal court Families and advocates Agencies that provide services Hospitals Elected officials Policy and Budget officials Others _________________

Stakeholder Buy-in Why would a stakeholder support CIT? See potential for more good stuff See potential for less bad stuff Messenger and message are believable Requested support is manageable

Stakeholder Concerns Save money !!!!! Favorable publicity Reduce injuries Avoid shootings Prestige Professional pride Reduce incarceration Reduce arrests

Stakeholder Concerns Demonstrate effective governance Improve community relations Attract federal grants Reduce court docket volume Connect people to services Avoid expensive hospital admissions Other __________________

Identify CIT Benefits Less need for the use of lethal force Reduced Officer injuries Reduced citizen injuries Reduced SWAT/ERT call outs Reduced time “off patrol” Reduced civil litigation Reduced ER/hospital admissions Reduced incarceration

Identify CIT Benefits Reduced Arrests Improved community relations Demonstrates effective government Attract federal grant funding to your state Prestige/Pride for involved professionals Favorable publicity for officials Connect people with MI to services

Match Concerns of Stakeholders to Benefits of CIT Determine what resources each stakeholder may be able to provide Identify the most important concerns for each stakeholder Craft your request around how CIT will save Money, Time, Energy for the stakeholder

Develop Your Plan