1. Crisis Intervention Team Est. 2007
Allegheny County & the City Of Pittsburgh
Crisis Intervention Team Est. 2007

3. INTRODUCTIONS MPO Patty Poloka Officer Curtis Boyd
Pittsburgh Bureau of Police
CIT Coordinator
Mother of 3
Retired Army Major
Doctoral Candidate
Officer Curtis Boyd
Allegheny County Port Authority Police
Father of 3
Community Resource Officer
Crisis Awareness Training (CAT) Coordinator for Bus Operators
Mental Health Advocate

4. LGBTQIA+ in CIT? 10-4! FAMILY PERSPECTIVE, then Learning Objectives
Understand crisis elements of the LBGTQIA+ community which may lead to law enforcement encounters.
Understand an effective way to incorporate the LBGTQIA+ topic successfully into CIT.
Take away a basic model/structure for an LBGTQIA+ panel to go beyond political correctness and into empathy.
Gain knowledge about rates of homelessness in LBGTQIA+ youth and suicide rates among LBGTQIA+ youth and adults.
Recognize LBGTQIA+ in LE should not play a role in employment or cause challenges. Police are people first, not L, B, G, T, Q, I, or A. They are brave people.

5. LGBTQIA+ in CIT? 10-4! FAMILY PERSPECTIVE Introduction
When a parent knows something has changed
Now that we know, what’s next?
Advocating and protecting your child
CIT Law Enforcements role?

6. WHY LGBTQIA+ in CIT?
Police have gone from "NIGHT WATCHMEN" to high-level judgment and decision-making representatives of our local, state, and government law enforcement agencies. To exclude the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transsexual, Queer/Questioning, Intersex, Asexual/Ally (LBGTQIA+) topic from CIT training is to not have a comprehensive program. Police encounter members of this community in calls, encounters with the homeless, work peers, providing protection for First Amendment demonstrations, and personal or family lives. Education on this topic is timely, important, and critical to maintaining a CIT program adequately adapting to change.

7. LEARNING OBJECTIVE 1
Understand crisis elements of the LBGTQIA+ community which may lead to law enforcement encounters.

8. Encounters Check on the Well-being Family domestics Coming out Crisis
Possible suicide attempt
Need for Crisis Services
LGBT youth and adults with same-gender
attractions are known to be at risk for
health disparities and compromised
emotional health.
Family domestics
Coming out
Crisis
Anxiety
Rejection may equal rage/violence

9. LEARNING OBJECTIVE 2
Understand an effective way to incorporate the LBGTQIA+ topic successfully into CIT.
Homeless presentation
Intervention of Children and Adolescents
Family perspective panel
Panel members
The message
(see blank schedule)

10. SAMPLE SCHEDULE

11. LEARNING OBJECTIVE 3
Take away a basic model/structure for an LBGTQIA+ panel to go beyond political correctness and into empathy.
Coach the panel on keeping mostly to law enforcement encounters, what LEOs should know, what LEOs might find helpful.
Make sure the organization has the message you are looking to impart on the LEOs in CIT.
Empathy over political correctness

12. LEARNING OBJECTIVE 4
Gain knowledge about rates of homelessness in LBGTQIA+ youth and suicide rates among LBGTQIA+ youth and adults. (next slide)

13. Statistics
26% of LGBTQ youth in care were forced to leave their homes as a result of revealing their sexuality.
National Statistic:
78% of LGBTQ youth were removed or ran away from foster placements as a result of hostility toward their sexual orientation or gender identity.
On a national average, up to 40% of homeless youth identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer or questioning.
50% of transgender youth have seriously contemplated suicide, and 1 in 4 have reported having made an attempt.
Negative outcomes for many LGBT youth, including suicide, homelessness, and placement in foster care or juvenile justice facilities, can be prevented or reduced if parents, families, and caregivers can turn to a knowledgeable source for guidance, accurate information, and support.

14. Family Rejection & Health Risks
(Ryan et al., 2010) LGBT young adults who reported high levels of family rejection during adolescence were:
•8.4 times more likely to report having attempted suicide
•5.9 times more likely to report high levels of depression
•3.4 times more likely to use illegal drugs
•3.4 times more likely to report having engaged in unprotected sexual intercourse – compared with peers from families that reported no or low levels of family rejection
“When I put my head on the pillow at night, I think about my daughter and just hope she’s safe. I don’t know where she is. I haven’t heard from her since I threw her out of the house when she told me she was lesbian. I didn’t know what to do. I wish I had acted differently. I would give anything to be able to change that now.”-Monica, mother of 16-year old lesbian youth

15. LEARNING OBJECTIVE 5
Recognize LBGTQIA+ in LE should not play a role in employment or cause challenges. Police are people first, not L, B, G, T, Q, I, or A. They are brave people.
Transitions within the workplace should be a non-event between peers. Although accommodations will be necessary, do not make it a big deal or complain about it.
Respect the co-workers right to transition and be afforded privacy accordingly.
Don’t try to initiate conversation about transition unless it is positive and affirming or because you need questions answered as to how to address the individual.

16. LEARNING OBJECTIVES -Did we meet these?
Understand crisis elements of the LBGTQIA+ community…LE encounters
Understand an effective way to incorporate the LBGTQIA+ into CIT
Take away a basic model/structure for an LBGTQIA+ panel
Gain knowledge of homelessness & suicide in LBGTQIA+ youth & adults
Recognize LBGTQIA+ in LE should not play a role in employment

17. Be a Professional Agency…

18. References
*Department of Justice (DOJ) video recommendation: Ryan, C., Russell, S. T., Huebner, D., Diaz, R. and Sanchez, J. (2010), Family Acceptance in Adolescence and the Health of LGBT Young Adults. Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing, 23: 205–213. doi: /j x Needham, B. L., & Austin, E. L. (2010). Sexual orientation, parental support, and health during the transition to young adulthood. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 39, 1189–1198.

19. Master Police Officer Patricia Poloka #3864
PBP Employee Wellness & Resource Coordinator
Crisis Intervention Team Coordinator
Pittsburgh Bureau of Police
Wellness Office
AND
Officer Curtis Boyd #5514
Allegheny County Port Authority Police
Lead Community Resource Officer
CAT/CIT Co-Coordinator
345 6th Ave. 3rd Fl. Pgh, Pa
Phone Office