Cadets of the 91st Baton Rouge Police Academy completed CAHS’ Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training, held Jan. 22-26, and led by CAHS’ Director of Training and Professional Development Joi Plain, LCSW.
CIT is a specialized training program designed to equip law enforcement with the necessary skills to respond effectively to crisis situations involving individuals with mental health, substance abuse, or developmental disability challenges.
The BRPD Academy trainees learned about de-escalation techniques, the importance of empathy when dealing with individuals, and how to engage and access other community resources.
Other CAHS presenters were
- Executive Director Jan Laughinghouse, PhD, LCSW-BACS, LAC, CCS
- Bryan Gros, PhD (Children’s Behavioral Health)
- Scott Thomas, LCSW (Addiction Recovery Services)
- Kyllie Jenkins, CAC, CCGC (Center for Compulsive Gambling Treatment)
East Baton Rouge Parish Coroner Beau Clark, MD, also served as a trainer along with representatives of the following agencies: BRPD, VIA LINK, the Bridge Center, Start Corporation, the West Feliciana Parish Coroner’s Office, Alzheimer’s Services of the Capital Area, Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System, NAMI Baton Rouge, IRIS Domestic Violence Center, and the EBR Parish Office of Alcoholic Beverage Control.
The cadets also heard from individuals who have “lived experiences” about the importance of assessing crisis situations accurately to avoid unnecessary escalation, injury, or even death.
