POST Wednesday, April 19, 2023 • Vol. 15 No. 24 • FREE
PreSort Std U.S. Postage PAID Middlefield, OH 44062 Permit No. 77
Postal Customer Local / ECRWSS
Community News from Middlefield, Parkman, Huntsburg and Surrounding Areas
OR CURRENT RESIDENT
Middlef ield
Town Crier page 4
Plain Country page 5
Classifieds Page 7
ROSE NEMUNAITIS/KMG
Local law enforcement participants in the Geauga County Crisis Intervention Team program recently completed training inside the new Geauga County office building in Claridon Township.
Local Law Enforcement Gain Sharp Tools in Crisis Training
By Rose Nemunaitis editor@karlovecmedia.com South Russell Village Officer Kailey Gavanditti is sworn to serve and protect her community. But, as she learned recently, that protection goes beyond the physical. Gavanditti joined a host of local law enforcement March 31 as a graduate of the Geauga County Crisis Intervention Training program inside the county office building in Claridon Township. “This class has changed my view on mental illness,” Gavanditti said. The program is a 40-hour comprehensive training on mental health provided to law enforcement to teach them how to de-escalate situations where an individual is in crisis. The training is a collaboration between local law enforcement agencies and behavioral health providers. Leaders included Geauga County CIT Coordinator Brian Ayer, of Geauga’s Ravenwood Mental Health Center; Chardon Police Chief Scott Niehus; and National Alliance on Mental Illness Geauga Executive Director Kimberly Carter.
Just as Seconds Count, So Do Words & Actions
Carter said CIT improves outcomes. “What I mean by that is if the de-escalation techniques taught in
class are used, then fewer people will end up in jails and/or hospitals if those locations are not warranted or can be avoided,” Carter said. “The techniques in extreme cases save lives because a mental health crisis can go sideways and become out of control very quickly. Then, officers must respond with their tactical training to keep everyone safe. But, if those crises can be de-escalated before they become out of control, then everyone is safer.” Gavanditti learned someone experiencing a crisis doesn’t need a person in a uniform — they just need a person. “I have learned how much of an impact the words you speak to someone can be and may be one of the best tools you can have as an officer. My ah-ha moment was the moment I realized how much people crave human attention and sometimes, people just want to be seen and heard,” she said. Fellow officer Andrew McKillen had his own “ah-ha” moment in a class scenario with Gavanditti involving the portrayal of a suicidal woman who had possibly been the victim of domestic violence. “As we were talking to her, we discovered that this female was afraid of talking to men,” he said. “And we were able to catch that, so I backed up a bit and let Officer Gavanditti talk to her and the
victim ended up opening up more to her. My point with this story is that these small observations and adjustments to those observations can go a long way in real-life situations involving crisis intervention.”
Police Make Differences Daily
“The lack of mental health crisis services across the U.S. has resulted in law enforcement officers serving as first-responders to most crises,” according to NAMI. “A CIT program is an innovative, community-based approach to improve the outcomes of these encounters.” There are more than 800,000 sworn officers now serving in the United States, the highest figure ever, according to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. In midst of a crisis, giving law enforcement as many tools as possible to do their jobs safely and effectively makes them an integral part of the solution, NAMI said. “This is the darn best class we ever had,” Ayer told the new graduates. “You were engaged and asking questions and know some cases we’ve shared. I know our residents will be better off.” CIT began in 1988 in Memphis, Tenn., and in Ohio in 2004 in Akron. Geauga County’s program kicked off in 2006 and has held 18 classes
with more than 250 individuals completing the program. South Russell Village Police Lt. Todd Pocek attended the recent graduation. “Law enforcement is not just about enforcing laws,” Pocek said. “It’s about helping a person through a crisis. That crisis could be they locked their keys in their car and are late for work, or they could be experiencing a manic episode. We can buy tools to unlock a car and train an officer to use them. We cannot buy a tool to help someone in distress, but we surely can train officers how to properly recognize signs and help resolve these issues.” Role-playing is utilized as an integral part of the training and done in a way to make the experience as close to reality as possible. “My ‘ah-ha’ moments were all the resources available in Geauga County,” said officer Kyle Raznoff, of University Hospitals Geauga Medical Center Police Department. “What I learned will make me a better officer going forward.” Ayer said he hoped attendees could see those experiencing a mental health crisis through a lens of compassion and obtain new skillsets to provide support and assistance. “We also want them to know that they have the help and support of a See Training • Page 6
facebook.com/middlefieldpost