Emergency Service Providers Receive Crisis Prevention Training
FLEMINGTON – For the second year in a row, local police and other Clinton County first responders have received an extensive week of training in crisis intervention.
15 members of the crisis prevention training program last week completed 40 hours over five days on how to cope with emergency mental health situations. The instruction was provided at the Clinton County Emergency Services Building in Flemington through the Lycoming/Clinton Joinder program. Marwin C. Reeves, Jr., Crisis Intervention Team Coordinator, directed the crisis intervention training.
Speakers at the graduation ceremony included Clinton County Commissioner Jeff Snyder and Lock Haven city police detective Richard Simpson, who was later recognized as the program’s “officer of the year.” Simpson was a member of the initial 2017 class of 20 graduates. He related the immediate benefits he had received from taking the program a year ago. Simpson said within 24 hours of completing the schooling, he was called on to assist in resolving two mental health issue-related cases. In them, he said, he was able to give options to the distressed parties as part of getting them needed treatment. Simpson said, “If I can keep them from getting hurt or killed, then I’ve done my job.”
The 2018 training was held from Monday through Friday of last week from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Reeves said instruction involved both “didactic presentations and role playing.”
The 2018 graduates: Clinton County Women’s Center, Traci Bletz; Lock Haven University Police Department, Sgts. Thomas Bruno and Frank Shoemaker, officers Robert Hall, Quinton Isett, Donald Reed; Clinton County Probation, Officers Kaylyn Walker, Larisha Williamson; Clinton County Correctional Facility, Lt. Jacqueline Moore, Noreen Simpson; Department of Emergency Services, Lori Rhoads, Derek Hoover, Chris Rupert; Lyco/Clinton Joinder, Sean Winter; Clinton County Sheriff’s Office, Deputy Sheriff Justin Breon.
Joinder official Lauralee Dingler said the program has been well supported in Clinton County, stating, “We have a great steering committee (Sheriff, Adult Probation, Lock Haven City Police, Lock Haven University, 911 / Emergency Services, MH/ID) committed to providing a quality 40 hour training in Mental Health information, available services, and de-escalation.She said without the support of the local community, the judges and the commissioners, CIT would not be successful.
