Podcasts about crisis intervention training

This episode features Rachel Keller, a seasoned law enforcement professional with 18 years of service at the Leon County Sheriff's Office. Currently, Rachel is the Special Investigations Unit Sergeant, collaborating with HSI to oversee human trafficking investigations. Her career path includes roles as a Patrol Sergeant, Financial Crimes Detective, and School Resource Officer, earning her multiple accolades, such as the Meritorious Service Award and Employee of the Month honors. Rachel's pioneering work as LCSO's first female motor officer reflects her commitment to breaking barriers and delivering excellence. Beyond her professional experience, Rachel is equipped with extensive training and certifications. She holds a Master's in Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration and certifications like Command Leadership from FBI-LEEDA, Advanced Gang Specialist from the Florida Gang Investigator's Association, and Crisis Intervention Training. Her skills in leadership, criminal investigations, and critical incident stress management further enrich her contributions to law enforcement and community outreach. Join us as Rachel shares her insights into investigative strategies, leadership development, and advancing the role of women in law enforcement. #Leadership #LawEnforcement #HumanTraffickingAwareness #CriminalInvestigations #CareerGrowth

In this episode, I had the privilege of conducting Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) for the Columbus Police Department in Ohio, as part of a nationwide effort to support our peace officers, fire departments, EMS, crisis teams, corrections departments, sheriff's offices, and other public service agencies dealing with crisis situations. The primary goal of CIT training is to equip first responders with the necessary tools to effectively manage mental health and addiction-related crises, thereby reducing the likelihood of escalating situations resulting in harm due to a lack of awareness regarding individuals' mental and emotional struggles. One of the significant challenges in mental health and addiction education is fostering genuine understanding and empathy toward those grappling with these issues. While many acknowledge the prevalence of mental health and addiction concerns, bridging the gap between awareness and action requires individuals to recognize their own potential for connection with these struggles. In this episode, we delve into the pervasive stigma surrounding mental health and addiction and explore viable solutions. We also examine common misconceptions and errors in our approach to addressing these issues, emphasizing the importance of cultivating empathy and rapport with clients and community members. Furthermore, we tackle strategies for preventing the personalization of professional challenges and stressors, offering insights on maintaining emotional well-being in demanding roles such as parenting, family dynamics, and spousal relationships. Our discussion extends to navigating the spectrum of care options, elucidating distinctions between coaching, counseling, therapy, inpatient treatment, outpatient services, and stabilization interventions. For organizations seeking comprehensive mental health and addiction prevention training, CIT or Crisis Intervention Training, as well as guidance on engaging with available services proactively, I offer my expertise as a professional mental health and addiction speaker and advocate. Drawing from my own journey of long-term recovery, I specialize in bridging the gap between organizational practices, familial dynamics, and relationship dynamics, and evidence-based approaches to mental health and addiction prevention. If your organization or community group could benefit from tailored training or support in navigating these critical issues, I am here to facilitate that process. Also, if you're ever looking for a professional speaker around mental health and addiction recovery, drug and alcohol prevention, how to get employees to utilize human resources more often, professional development within schools, universities, police departments, fire departments, probation organizations, the department of correction, or any other organization that prioritizes mental health and addiction stigma. You can find us at: K Preston Moorehttps://www.kprestonmoore.comTikTok: @kprestonmooreInstagram @kprestonmooreFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/k.preston.mooreFacebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/highcostofanonymitypodcast/?ref=shareLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kprestonmoore/Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/65h0V990cXBZZ9Op20hYjA?si=NJTW7xS4STSKAOTY46HrFgApple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/high-cost-anonymity-podcast-exploring-cost-keeping/id1357105789

Kountry Kitchen Soul Food Place announced its reopening after a fire destroyed its building in 2020.  Tippecanoe County will receive $1.1 million from the opioid settlement fund and a state matching program. Indiana's college going rate unchanged a year after hitting lowest in a generation.  Some counties are looking for new ways to improve interactions between law enforcement and people experiencing a mental health crisis. Want to go deeper on the stories you hear on WFYI News Now? Visit wfyi.org/news and follow us on social media to get comprehensive analysis and local news daily.  Subscribe to WFYI News Now wherever you get your podcasts. Today's episode of WFYI News Now was produced by Darian Benson, Abriana Herron, and Kendall Antron with support from Sarah Neal-Estes.

On today's episode, Dennis speaks with retired LEO, Health Coach & Public Speaker, Emily Henderson. In April 2020, Emily fought for my life as a police officer, and in the fight, she sustained a traumatic brain injury and broke all the bones in her dominate hand. Within her recovery, she became suicidal thinking that her life was over because, “all she was ever good at was being a cop.” By the grace of God, she remembered my Crisis Intervention Training and applied it to herself. She realized she had hit her capacity of knowing how to cope with my current situation and was convinced she deserved better. From that moment forward, Emily put her health in mind, body, and finances first and reinvented herself from the ground up. That decision let to her to becoming a health coach and building a team to help others reinvent themselves, many of whom wear similar uniforms as she did. Today, Emily shares her story of the incident that led her to retire, coping with her physical and mental injuries, her purpose as a health coach and public speaker, breaking the stigma of mental health in law enforcement and being a leader in life and in law enforcement. Follow Emily on IG & Facebook: @Emily.Henderson.1 If you like what you are hearing and want to stay in the loop with the latest in Street Cop Training, please follow our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/StreetCopTraining Don't forget to subscribe and rate the podcast, it truly helps! Sign up for classes here: https://streetcoptraining.com/course-list/Follow our podcast here: https://streetcoptraining.com/street-cop-podcast/ or https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/street-cop-podcast/id1538474515

Ernest (Ernie) Stevens is a published author with a #1 best-selling book on Amazon titled: Mental Health and De-escalation: A Guide for Law Enforcement Professionals. Ernie was also a contributing author for, Police MentalBarricade. Ernie was a police officer for 28 years, serving 26 of those years with the San Antonio Police Department where he was a founding member of the Mental Health Unit.Ernie has been featured on the Emmy Award Winning HBO Documentary, Ernie and Joe: Crisis Cops. He has also been featured in NBC's documentary, A Different Kind of Force. Ernie was interviewed by ABC's Nightline's Byron Pitts and featured on officers trained to respond to mental illness calls. Ernie has been featured in over 27 publications and deemed an expert in Crisis Intervention Training. He is a graduate of Wayland Baptist University and holds a B.S. degree in Criminal Justice. He is married to his wife Lisa who he attended school since elementary school. He has two incredible children, Reed and April. Ernie continues to support law enforcement agencies around the nation by providing technical assistance and best-practice approaches to mental health crisis calls. Ernie currently serves as the deputy director of law enforcement for the Council of State Governments Justice Center.Erin Craw, Ph.D. earned her doctorate in communication from Chapman University in Southern California, emphasizing in health and interpersonal communication. Her research interests are at the intersection of health and interpersonal communication as it relates to social support, stigma, and resilience. Her dissertation explored police officers' preferences for support and factors influencing mental health-related disclosure decisions.She is particularly interested in translational research that improves access to needed support for underserved populations and those who face extensive barriers to gaining assistance. As the daughter of a police officer (36 years) and granddaughter of a firefighter (40 years), she has a true passion for research that informs mental health-related interventions for first responders, enhances communication surrounding mental health, and improves access to support.Erin's research has been published in Health Communication, the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, Communication Education, and the Journal of Applied Communication Research. She has also been invited to be a guest on several podcasts to discuss how her research can help enhance new approaches to improving mental health support and communication.At Youturn Health, Erin manages the public sector accounts, ensuring that clients successfully access needed support.https://erneststevens.com/https://www.amazon.com/Mental-health-escalation-enforcement-professionals/dp/B09QG55XM6https://www.hbo.com/movies/ernie-and-joe-crisis-cops

On today's midweek show, Crystal welcomes Senator Manka Dhingra, Chair of the Senate Law & Justice Committee, to preview the tough issues her committee will take on in the upcoming legislative session. Senator Dhingra walks through her data-driven and community-informed approach to legislating and how this lens guides her thinking on revisiting the Blake decision fix, a temporary solution put in place by the Legislature in 2021 when the Washington Supreme Court struck down the state's drug possession law as unconstitutional. Despite widespread recognition of the need for a public health approach to substance use disorder, Crystal and Senator Dhingra lament the unfortunate political truth that the public is often ahead of elected officials and that the Blake fix will likely not be based on best practices.  The two then discuss the pushback from some in law enforcement interests in response to bills that restricted their use of high-speed vehicle pursuits and sought to hold officers liable for taking wrong actions. Senator Dhingra stands by these policies that solve the issues of unnecessary bystander deaths and community demands for reduction in police violence. Finally, the show wraps up with what a trauma-informed criminal justice system could look like, where implementation of the 988 crisis system is, and Senator Dhingra's delightful tradition of introducing legislation from teenagers in her district. As always, a full text transcript of the show is available below and at officialhacksandwonks.com. Follow us on Twitter at @HacksWonks. Find the host, Crystal Fincher, on Twitter at @finchfrii and find Senator Manka Dhingra at @Dhingrama.   Senator Manka Dhingra Manka Dhingra is Deputy Majority Leader of the Washington State Senate. She brings two decades of experience as a prosecutor to her role as Chair of the Senate Law & Justice Committee. She also serves on the Senate Health & Long Term Care Committee and Senate Ways & Means Committee.  In November 2017, Dhingra was elected to the Senate by the constituents of the 45th Legislative District, the first Sikh legislator in the nation. Since then, she has sponsored and passed legislation addressing a wide range of issue areas, including: curbing domestic violence and sexual assault, preventing firearm violence, providing property tax relief for seniors and people with disabilities, prosecuting financial fraud, and reforming the criminal justice system with an evidence-based approach.  During her time in the Senate, Dhingra has helped pass legislation and funding to transform the Washington State behavioral health system, reorienting it around prevention rather than crisis response. She continues to strive to ensure that Washingtonians with behavioral health needs get the treatment they need and deserve. As a member of the Special Committee on Economic Recovery, she is helping the state craft an economic plan to lead an equitable recovery from the COVID economic downturn. She also serves on several task forces dedicated to reducing poverty, reforming the criminal justice system, improving equity in state government, and providing a sound and fair fiscal footing for the state.  Dhingra continues to serve as a Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney with the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office. As Chair of the Therapeutic Alternative Unit, Manka helped develop and oversee the Regional Mental Health Court, the Veterans Court, and the Community Assessment and Referral for Diversion program. As a mental health and crisis intervention expert, she has also been an instructor at the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission for the 40-hour Crisis Intervention Training for law enforcement officers to reduce the risk of tragedy and improve the response to people in crisis.  Outside the courtroom, Dhingra is a community leader and anti-domestic violence advocate on the Eastside. She co-founded Chaya, an organization that assists South Asian survivors of domestic violence and led the organization's work to end systemic violence through education and prevention. She also serves on the board of Hopelink.   Resources Senator Manka Dhingra | Washington Senate Democrats   “With Dhingra's Win, Democrats Take Control of the State Senate” by Hayat Norimine from SeattleMet   Q & A: The Blake Decision | ACLU of Washington   “In Last-Minute Move, Legislature Adopts New Approach to Drug Possession” by Paul Kiefer from PubliCola   “WA lawmakers try to thread needle on drug possession, to mixed reviews” by David Kroman from Crosscut   “Washington Voters Want to Decriminalize Drug Possession and Fund Substance Abuse Resources” by Anika Dandekar with Data For Progress   State v. Blake: ESB 5476 and behavioral health expansion | Washington Health Care Authority   “Not all crimes merit high-speed chases that risk bystanders' lives” by Manka Dhingra in The Seattle Times   “Pursuits and Fatalities in WA since 2015” by Martina Morris from Next Steps Washington and Washington Coalition for Police Accountability   2021-2022 Washington State Legislature Policing Bills Explainer | People Power Washington   “State leaders prepare for implementation of the 988 call line” by Shane Ersland from State of Reform   “Meet the students who fought for free menstrual products at Washington schools — and won” by Sara Gentzler from The Olympian   Transcript [00:00:00] Crystal Fincher: Welcome to Hacks & Wonks. I'm Crystal Fincher, and I'm a political consultant and your host. On this show, we talk with policy wonks and political hacks to gather insight into local politics and policy in Washington State through the lens of those doing the work with behind-the-scenes perspectives on what's happening, why it's happening, and what you can do about it. Full transcripts and resources referenced in the show are always available at officialhacksandwonks.com and in our episode notes. So today I'm absolutely thrilled to have joining us the Deputy Majority Leader of the Washington State Senate, Manka Dhingra. Welcome. [00:00:47] Senator Manka Dhingra: Thank you so much. It is such a pleasure to be here with you. [00:00:50] Crystal Fincher: Absolutely a pleasure to have you - have followed your work and admired your work for quite some time. So you are also the Chair of the Senate Law & Justice Committee, you've done a lot of work. I just wanted to start off with - what was your path to the State Senate and what have you been working on? [00:01:11] Senator Manka Dhingra: So I'll just say my path to the State Senate has been extremely unusual. I don't know anyone else who came into politics the way I did. I, as a young person, knew very early that I wanted to go to law school and that I wanted to be a prosecutor. I got involved in gender-based violence early on because my grandmother used to help survivors of domestic violence back in India. And so I went to law school, became a prosecutor with King County. I actually created and ran the first ever Therapeutic Alternative Unit where we really took a look at alternatives to incarceration, crisis intervention. I helped train law enforcement in the 40-hour crisis intervention training at the Criminal Justice Training Center. And I considered myself a good Democrat because I voted. And then we had our 2016 national election. And for the first time in my life, I was actually having an Election Night party at my house because I really wanted my children to see the face of the first U.S. woman president. Clearly the night did not go as I had planned. And so I went to my first Democratic Party meeting that December. And when I went there, I can tell you that the room was full - packed - with women. When I looked around that room, I recognized so many of the PTSA moms. And most of us were there, again, for the very first time because we felt we had to do something. And I didn't know what that something would look like. And a very good friend of mine who was on city council saw me there and she said, We have to have coffee. And so we sat down for coffee and her first question was, Do you want to run for office? And my response was, I don't think I'm qualified. And she literally fell off her chair laughing. And later I realized what a cliché my response was because apparently that's what all of us women say - we think we're not qualified. So she kind of worked on me and we had a Senate seat that was available. And February 14th, I announced I was running for the Senate. So my entire political engagement from the time from my first meeting to me announcing for Senate was two months. [00:03:25] Crystal Fincher: Wow. Well, and then you ran in a district where your victory was certainly not guaranteed - very competitive race - where you were successful and victorious and a first yourself, the first Sikh member of our state Senate. How did you use all of your lived experience in the Senate and how was your first term? [00:03:56] Senator Manka Dhingra: So the election was exciting because my seat actually flipped our State Senate. So our Senate was controlled by the Republicans and when I won, Democrats got in control. So the first session was actually pure chaos because we'd had gridlock in Olympia for so many years because we really couldn't pass meaningful bills. We had a session that would go into special session year after year because budgets couldn't be agreed upon. The year I was running, there were three special sessions and they still did not have all their budgets passed. And so when I won, normally people have orientation or some kind of onboarding. But when I won - because of the change - we had new Chairs, all this legislation that had been blocked for so many years like the flood gates had opened. So it was a very exciting time because I think we just passed such amazing progressive legislation and really were this beacon of light for the entire country on what a progressive legislation could look like or what a progressive state can look like. But I got to tell you, I was kind of lost in the mix there. But luckily I was able to hold my own and was very proud of the nine bills I passed my first session. [00:05:16] Crystal Fincher: And what were some of those bills? [00:05:17] Senator Manka Dhingra: So a lot of those bills were things that had really irked me for a very long time as an attorney and as a prosecutor. So there were a lot of bills around helping survivors of domestic violence, there were bills around sexual assault, around trafficking, and I had a Medicaid fraud unit bill, work around behavior health because I have been very concerned about mental illness and substance use disorder in our state. And normally when you're a first-time legislator, they do this thing on the Senate floor where your first bill - people actually kind of tease you a little about it or kind of give you a hard time. And when they looked at all my bills, they were all of such serious matters that they couldn't figure out which one should be my first bill. And so actually the Medicaid fraud unit was my first bill because that was the least serious about my other bills. But this was legislation that I knew that had to be fixed and we needed to do it. And frankly, I think the reason why I was so successful is because most of my bill ideas come from people who do the work and are able to really articulate what the problems are and then have the solutions because they're the experts in that field. And so I have maintained that manner of doing my work - is really making sure I hear from the people on the ground doing the work. [00:06:42] Crystal Fincher: And you have built that reputation of being very in touch with the community, of reaching out to stakeholders for your various bills, making sure that you speak with, inform, get feedback from people who are involved with and impacted by legislation you're proposing and the issues you're trying to address. One such issue was spurred by the Blake decision - that the Supreme Court found in our state - that essentially decriminalized personal use possession. And because of some challenges that that presented, like a potential patchwork of different laws passed by different cities all throughout the state, the Legislature decided to take action to try and pass one uniform policy all across the state. What was your approach to that and where did that end up? [00:07:30] Senator Manka Dhingra: Thank you. That is really the issue and the question that has been - people have been interested in for the last two years. Any time legislation is required, my question always is why? And what you gave in your question was really one of the reasons why we knew that legislation - is because we wanted a uniform way of making sure enforcement is the same for people, that they're not treated differently because they're using at a different intersection down the street. So that's why we wanted to make sure we had state legislation. This decision came out in the middle of session, so the timing was not optimal. And then it was very important to me to have a solution that is based on best practices and that is practical. So the original bill that I had was actually based on what the policy of the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office was, along with a lot of the other prosecuting attorney's offices around the state. Because what we found at that time is - a lot of people doing this work had realized - that dealing with substance use disorder, it's not a criminal justice issue, it's a public health issue. And treating it like a criminal justice issue is what has really led us to where we are today. But you have to make sure you're focused on getting people into the treatment that they need. And so I was really trying to come up with a solution that said you have to have public health lead. And you also have to understand that while using the substance shouldn't be illegal, if there's criminal activity around that - like theft, criminal trespass, possession of weapons - that is still a criminal offense, but really being able to focus on treatment. So after a lot of negotiations, because I'll tell you, elected officials are very nervous of criminal justice issues. And I come from it differently because I practiced for 17 years. And we unfortunately did not get a bill that was based on best practices. We came close, but not quite. So what became the law of the land is that law enforcement was going to offer diversion the first two times that they came into contact with an individual. And then only after that would they refer that for a criminal case. And we took this opportunity to really provide a lot of resources for treatment - so we ensured that we had substance use disorder navigators who can help get people into treatment, we provided funding for treatment like Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion, to wraparound teams like HOST - Homeless Outreach Stabilization Teams, PACT - these assertive community treatment models. So really making sure that those resources go hand-in-hand, because if people have no place to go and they don't have treatment, nothing's going to really work. I also wanted to make sure that because we were creating this in the middle of session, that we had an expiration date. So I insisted that this law expire in three years. And we created a committee or task force made up of a wide variety of individuals - people with lived experience, people in the treatment community, housing people, law enforcement, prosecutors, defense - everyone who deals with this issue to come together to come up with recommendations. So those recommendations have officially been made. And our law expires this 2023, so we as the Legislature have to actually pass another substance use disorder law to make sure that we're, again, pushing ourselves to doing things that are based on - with best practices. [00:11:16] Crystal Fincher: Now the bill did not end up - at that time what passed - was not what you were ultimately happy with and didn't earn your vote at that time. But you did say that - because of some of those things that were funded, you really wanted to focus on getting those implemented and working across the state, because it's important to - if someone is going to make a referral for treatment or for services, that those services be available. And we were in a situation where those were not available in sufficient quantities around the state and people may not have been able to get their needs met. Where do those stand today? How far have we made it in terms of implementation and availability of services? [00:12:02] Senator Manka Dhingra: So I'll just say - on paper - the funding, the availability of services looked amazing. And then COVID hit. And one of the biggest barriers became COVID, because we weren't really able to implement everything that we wanted to. We had inpatient treatment services that had to be dramatically reduced because of social distancing - they had to limit their bed capacity. And so it's very challenging to talk about how successful or not successful this program could have been because it was greatly hampered by COVID. And we know from years and years of data and just knowing how humans behave - that when there is a huge incident like COVID - people do tend to self-medicate because of anxiety and depression. And we saw that. We saw use of alcohol and drugs go up exponentially because people were dealing with trauma. And so the combination of factors made it a lot more challenging. And so the resources weren't able to be deployed as timely as we would have liked. Now we're in a position - with this summer, we were able to do statewide deployment of the substance use navigators, so now they're around. We have funded a lot more options for law enforcement assisted diversions. So we have this program set up, but unfortunately we also had a lot of inpatient treatments that actually closed - because of COVID and their not being sustainable. The other issue also became is - there are a lot of individuals who really feel that there has to be an option for court-directed treatment - the court has to force you to do treatment. And so one of the things we had talked about is - if you want the option of that, you still have that through Drug Court, Mental Health Court, Veterans Court - if people engage in other criminal activity in addition to substance use disorder. We also have a civil commitment statute - we have Involuntary Treatment Act - we have assisted treatment where if you really want it to be court-ordered, you can do it through the civil system. And so we were really hoping to ramp up our civil system to do that. And again, due to COVID and what happened with our judicial system, we weren't really able to get there. So I would say where we are now from when the bill was passed - not as far along as we would have liked. And we simply haven't had the time to give these programs the setup that they actually needed. So in an ideal situation, I would have liked to see one more year of us working under this bill to really see what's working and what's not, and then come up with a different solution. But unfortunately we don't have that time and COVID did make things more challenging in terms of implementation. [00:15:00] Crystal Fincher: So in terms of these programs and what was funded and addressing the capacity and now increased staffing issues with a lot of these services, is there going to be a push for increased funding? Does the existing funding already cover the implementation? What action needs to be taken from the legislature to ensure that in another year's time we are where we do want to be? [00:15:24] Senator Manka Dhingra: So absolutely the funding needs to continue and it will. The cities and the counties that do have the programs up and running - because it was a gradual start - have actually shown really positive results. We are seeing individuals getting the help they need. We have had law enforcement in those areas actually appreciate the resources that have been provided to the community to do this work. We also have to take a look at - how do we staff inpatient units? The way we pay them for per bed usage doesn't really work when you have pandemics because a third of the beds can't be used. So if you're only paying them for the beds, they can't do full staffing if they're not allowed to use a third of their beds. So we really have to rethink what that payment for treatment looks like. And there've been some really interesting ideas on integration, and paying for the whole person, and paying for programs rather than for each beds. And that's what COVID really taught us - being really creative on how we are supporting some of our community clinics, so I think you're going to see some really exciting stuff coming in on more integrated community-led efforts. Our federal government, in the last two years under President Biden, has really made a lot of federal dollars available for us to do this work. And Washington is really set up very well to take advantage of these federal dollars. I think it's still an exciting time and - it always gets darkest before the light, but I do think we are going to be turning the corner on the opioid epidemic. [00:17:06] Crystal Fincher: I hope so. And so now you're going to be taking up this legislation again - you're forced to - and many people were supportive of the sunset and revisiting of this legislation this session. It looks like there, once again, is a mixed variety of opinions on the right way forward this session. And it looks like there are a growing amount of people, supported by what looks like changing public sentiment, or absolutely a number of polls in support of a public health approach as opposed to a criminalized approach to substance use disorder and possession of personal amounts. Is there the opportunity this session to move towards a full public health approach and move away from criminalization of personal possession of substances? [00:17:59] Senator Manka Dhingra: I wish I could tell you there was. This is unfortunately the truth in politics that I've learned - is that normally the public is way ahead of elected officials. Over and over again, I've heard from the public that when they see their loved one, their neighbor, their friend, or even the stranger struggling with substance use disorder, they want treatment. The first response isn't to send someone to prison. And so the recommendation out of this committee - it's actually called SURSAC [Substance Use Recovery Services Advisory Committee] - was for decriminalization of personal use. And so the bill that I will be sponsoring is based on the committee's recommendation, because I think it's really important to honor that work. That work and their conclusions are based on best practices, it's data driven through looking at what has worked around the world - not just in the United States - because we know this is a worldwide problem. We don't have the votes for that in the Senate or in the House. So I'll have my bill, which is based on best practices and data. We are going to have another bill by Senator Robinson, who is going to take a lot of the treatment recommendations coming out of that group, but it does make possession of personal use a gross misdemeanor. It encourages diversion, but that's where it's at. We're going to have other individuals who may want to make it back as a felony - I don't think there's appetite at all to have it be a felony because that has failed so miserably. And I know there's some interest in making it a misdemeanor. All of those have issues, right? No one is going to agree on one version of it, but I think the best decisions are always the decisions that are made when they're data-driven. I don't think our legislature is there. I don't think the Blake fix is going to be evidence-based or data-driven. It will criminalize personal drug use with a lot of options for diversion. And the hope really is that the prosecutors, the judges are in a position to make those referrals. The hope really is that community resources come in and are able to help people outside of the criminal justice system. I'm a little disappointed, but that's human nature. All you can do is continue to make the case on trying to do things that work. [00:20:40] Crystal Fincher: Absolutely. [00:20:41] Senator Manka Dhingra: But people are driven by fear. [00:20:43] Crystal Fincher: Yeah. And appreciate your continued work to continue to make the case and for standing by that when it comes to voting. Is there the opportunity with this to implement another sunset - for as you said, as we get more infrastructure set up around the state, accounting for the COVID delays and challenges, that maybe we get to revisit this in another couple of years? [00:21:08] Senator Manka Dhingra: You know, I'm not sure about that - we'll have to see how it works. The reality is you can have whatever laws you want - it depends on what implementation looks like. So when the Blake decision came out, the current individuals who were charged with drug possession cases - all those cases had to be dismissed. And if they were in custody, they had to be released. Now, I was very curious to know how many of those individuals currently existed, because I had heard and know that most of these cases weren't being prosecuted - that they were actually being deferred. And that was actually true. People thought the Drug Courts would close - they didn't. There were very few Drug Courts that actually had individuals that were only there for drug possession cases, because the culture of enforcement has changed so much. Because the people that do that work know that having someone go through the court system or look at incarceration does not improve the substance use disorder. It actually makes it worse. And so practically, there were not people in Drug Court to any significant degree when this decision came out. And that's why I tried to tell people - that there was already that recognition in our criminal justice system that said, We're not prosecuting these individuals, they're being offered diversions at the time of booking. Or they end up pleading guilty to a reduced sentence and finish that time in jail and leave. So there is a disconnect between the laws on our book and what is being implemented. And I think all we can do is actually make that community treatment program really robust and provide those resources, and destigmatize substance use disorder so that people can actually feel comfortable going for treatment and acknowledging that they have a problem. [00:22:56] Crystal Fincher: That makes sense. Another issue that has been an issue that has been talked about throughout the community has been those surrounding police pursuits. High speed vehicle chases - I suppose some may not be at high speeds - but pursuing people who they suspect of fleeing because of some crime or being wanted for a reason. And lots of talk in the community and data and evidence about the injuries and deaths caused by police pursuits - and really weighing whether the risk of pursuit is worth it in cases where someone is not wanted for a violent crime and people's health and wellbeing seem to be in immediate jeopardy, as opposed to a property crime or something else like that. What is the work that you've done on that? And do you anticipate that being an issue? Where do you stand on that? [00:23:53] Senator Manka Dhingra: I go back to the way I deal with legislation - I start off with what is the problem you're trying to solve? So when it came to police pursuits, the question was - what is the problem we're trying to solve? And the problem we were trying to solve is data that came out that said 50% of the people that are killed during police chases are individuals that have nothing to do with the incident. These are innocent bystanders who get killed. And that number is at 50% in the state. That is an unacceptable number. So we took a look and said, OK, how can we reduce that number? And so the police pursuit bill that was passed by the Senate and the House and signed into law is one that's actually based in best practices. It was based on a policy that very closely mirrored what a lot of our cities were already doing. So we do have some cities that had very similar policies and others that frankly were not good partners in doing this work. And so we passed that. There were a few cities who didn't really have to change their policies because that is what their official policy was. And there were others that were forced to change their policy. And this is exactly what you mentioned, Crystal - it is about doing that analysis. We made sure that if it's a domestic violence case, you can pursue the vehicle. If it's a case involving violence, you can pursue the vehicle. If it's a DUI, you can pursue the vehicle. But when it comes to property, we said, No, you can't - because there are other ways to catch an individual in today's day and age. And guess what? We haven't had innocent people dying since this policy was enacted. So did we solve the problem of not having 50% of the fatalities be uninvolved? We absolutely did. We do not have innocent people dying in vehicle pursuits. And I've heard criticism that, Oh, people are just fleeing and not getting caught. And I've asked the question, Are they not getting caught in that instant? Are they getting arrested the next day or a few days later? Guess what? They're being arrested, they're just arrested a few days later. And now they're being charged with a felony - attempting to elude - because they fled. So I know that there are cities and law enforcement agencies that want us to go back on our vehicle pursuit bill. And I have asked them for data - because I do tend to be data-driven - and I've said, Show me how many people have not been caught because of this data. The only data they can show me is the number of pursuits is up. And I'm like, And what happens the day after? Because when they share the stories with me, they always end with, Oh, yes, and we caught the guy two days later or the next day. And so again, I think for those who want us to change our policy, I come back with what is the problem you're trying to solve and where is the data supporting that? And I have not seen the data that tells me that this is the wrong policy. [00:26:53] Crystal Fincher: Well, and I appreciate the approach you take in being very data-driven because really - there's a lot of conflicting information out there. There's a lot of people who sometimes are scared just by change. And so looking at what the situation actually is based on evidence makes a lot of sense. This was an issue with a number of bills around public safety in prior sessions where there - in 2020 - where a number of accountability bills passed. And then following that, some seeming cold feet amid pushback from some law enforcement officials and others saying, Well, you have prevented us from being able to do our jobs and you're putting public safety at risk by holding us more accountable. What was your take on that, and on some of the legislation that rolled back some of the accountability progress that was made? [00:27:53] Senator Manka Dhingra: When people started saying - Oh, the Legislature prevented us from doing our work, my question was - No, we made sure you can be held liable for taking wrong actions. If they choose not to act because they're afraid of liability, that is not the Legislature preventing them from doing their job. It's that they have to relearn how to do their job. Or go back to best practices that they were taught - but over time, those practices have kind of gone away because you just kind of start doing what everyone else does and not really focus on best practices. And the bottom line is this. We had to do all of that work because of George Floyd. And the years and years and years of Black people telling us that they're being killed at the hands of law enforcement and frankly, the world not listening - until we had COVID, was stuck in our house, didn't have any new Hollywood movies coming out or new TV shows coming out - and we had to watch the video that was captured. And finally acknowledge and say, Yes, what people have been saying is true and real. We, as elected officials, have to do something about it. So it comes down to, again, what is the problem that we were trying to solve? And the problem is that Black and Brown men and women are treated unfairly with law enforcement. And when you see that so blatantly and so starkly that you cannot make excuses for it anymore, like we have been for decades, you have to do something and you cannot do business as usual. There has to be accountability. And like you said, change is hard. People don't like making change. But unless they do it themselves, it is thrusted upon them and that is - the job of electeds and the Legislature is to make sure we are standing up for each and every human being. I represent cities like Duvall and Woodinville, Redmond, Kirkland - each and every one of these cities had a Black Lives Matter protest - down in Duvall, Woodinville, Redmond, Kirkland. I was there at all of them. This is something that our population demanded and the Legislature provided. And it's going to take a while for people to make the changes, but these are changes that are needed. We are an outlier in the United States when it comes to fatalities at the hand of law enforcement. No other country has that rate like the US does. And it's time we took it seriously and put in practices that are going to prevent it. [00:30:46] Crystal Fincher: Agreed. And as you talked about before, lots of times the public is more in tune with data and reality - because they're living it - than some of the elected officials. We just saw in these past elections in November where we had a county prosecutor race where people with two very different views were running. One focused on more punitive punishment measures, focused a lot on criminalization and focusing on that. Another one who's saying, Okay, we're not going to not follow the law, but we need to follow the evidence and start to pursue policies, or continue the path of pursuing policies like diversion that have been shown to be more successful in helping people get on a productive path to not commit any more crimes and to reduce the amount of people who are victimized. As you continue through this path of various legislation in this session, what is your message to people who do say that police accountability gets in the way of public safety? [00:31:54] Senator Manka Dhingra: And I just say that is absolutely not true. Holding someone responsible for bad actions has nothing to do with public safety. Public safety is about your perception of safety. You can talk about domestic violence and I can tell you, and I'm going to say mostly women - because we are talking mostly women who are victims or survivors - they have not felt safe in their house for decades. And people will not say that that is a public safety issue because they're thinking about what happens when they walk down the street, not what is happening in their own home. When we talk about sexual assault, it's a different concept of public safety. When we talk about trafficking, it's different. And so we have to - when we talk about public safety, it's not about property crimes. It's about individuals feeling safe - at home, in their school, or out in the street. And so we have to be focused on human safety and them feeling safe in whatever environment they're in. Right now when people talk about public safety, they're only talking about car thefts, and thefts from businesses, and graffiti, and seeing people using drugs on the street - that's not public safety. Those all tend to be public health issues and systems that aren't funded appropriately. And frankly, the systemic racism that has occurred in this country for generations that has allowed these wealth inequities. So we have to talk about public safety as the human feeling safe. And I can tell you - it is women, women of color who are most at risk of being victims of public safety, but we don't talk about that. I do. And that is how I frame these issues is - we have done a terrible job when it comes to investigating, reporting, prosecuting sexual assault. Same thing about domestic violence, same thing about trafficking. And when you take a look at the ills in our society, it comes down to gender-based violence. It comes down to our children being raised in households where they see domestic violence, the trauma that occurs through there. So public safety is a lot more complicated than seeing there's a rise in their concerns about public safety - because when you really take a look at the holistic concept of public safety, there isn't. And I'll just say for decades, crime in our country has been reducing. Then the last three years, because of the pandemic, you've seen a rise in violence and a rise in crimes, but overall, when you take a look at trend over decades, we are at a downward trend. It is still the best time to live in America right now than it ever has been. That is actually true. Technology is there to help us, we have more access to resources, there are more people being fed, and there are more people who are actually safe. So let's try to change that conversation on public safety because the sound bites are not based in reality. [00:34:55] Crystal Fincher: They really aren't. And it looks like by these - once again - most recent election results, the public recognizes that and wants to move towards more evidence-based solutions. I also want to talk about - you talk about who are most often victims of crime. And when we talk about victims, so often it's in the context of, Well, victims would want this person punished. And what are you going to say to the victims if this person doesn't spend a whole bunch of time in jail? But it seems like we engage less on - how do we actually best support victims? How do we do that? And how can we do better? [00:35:32] Senator Manka Dhingra: That is such a great question. Thank you so much for framing it the way you just did because that's absolutely true. People - because of TV shows - mostly have this image of this victim who's like this innocent, fragile, vulnerable person who has never done anything wrong in her life. That is not who the victim is. Victims are as complicated as any single human being. And many times when you take a look at a victim of crime, especially in our society, they're not strangers. You normally know the perpetrator of violence, and there's that connection. And so when you talk about what the victim wants, it isn't necessarily punishment or prison time for 20 years. It is much more nuanced and much more complicated. As I mentioned, I used to run the Therapeutic Alternative Unit, and we really used to make sure - we were the first in the country, actually, to not have any criminal history that's a bar to participate in this program. But I insisted that part of this program, we have a victim advocate. And that when there were crimes involving victims, that the victim's voice would be part of what the resolution is. And I cannot tell you - over and over again, when you provided victims the resources and the services and you explained the program, they wanted that defendant to go through that program. Because they want that person to get better, they want to make sure that what happened to them doesn't happen to anyone else. And when the victim feels supported and has resources on their own, they can actually deal with their own trauma and move on - because no one wants to hold on to that hurt and that anger. It is not good for anybody. But unless we as a society can provide those resources and that support, the victims aren't going to get better. And when they don't, you just have that cycle over and over again. And one of the bills that I'm really proud of - I passed a couple of years ago - and it was about making sure that if you are a survivor of domestic violence, sexual assault or trafficking, when you are on your path to recovery, you can get your criminal history, your convictions expunged. And the reason I really wanted that bill is because - trauma exerts itself as a reaction, not just as a memory. And so there are so many people in the criminal justice system who are survivors - they're survivors of violence. And they're engaging in the criminal justice system because of that trauma. And we don't have a criminal justice system that is trauma-informed. We're trying to get there. But being trauma-informed means you have to understand that anyone coming into that system may and most probably has suffered trauma. And unless you deal with that underlying trauma, you're going to continue on that cycle. So I think there's a lot more work we need to do in being trauma-informed throughout our criminal justice system. [00:38:31] Crystal Fincher: Well, I appreciate that and appreciate your work. And also, your work on the 988 system. Can you explain what that is and where that stands in terms of implementation? [00:38:43] Senator Manka Dhingra: Absolutely - you're asking about my favorite bills. I've been working with the mental health community for a very long time in my other job as a Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney. And one of the things people have wanted for a very, very long time is a mental health crisis line. Because it's not illegal to be mentally ill, yet we call 911 and have law enforcement show up. And so 988 is a national number that went live in July. And we took this opportunity in the state of Washington to create an entire crisis system around 988. So right now, if anyone who needs help - if they're suicidal or in crisis, that's a mental health substance use disorder crisis - they can call 988. The 988 phone number is actually staffed by mental health professionals - individuals who are trained in how to deescalate and help with situations. And so we made sure that we provided funding for the people responding to the calls - that they had the credentials needed to do this work. We made sure that these hubs of 988 are actually going to - in the next few years, they are going to have a mobile response team that is made up of community mental health professionals along with peers. We are connecting 911 and 988 in the sense that there's cross-training - because a lot of the calls that come to 911 are actually mental health calls. So we want them to be able to transfer those calls through 988. And there may be times when a call comes into 988, but there's a weapon involved or a gun involved, and they need that help from 911. So we're working on cross-training and some kind of cross-mobilization. But what we have found is - from other states that have done some of this work - is that when you have a mental health professional answering these calls, 90% of the calls are able to be resolved. The 10% that need someone to show up for them - 7% can be handled with a mental health professional going out along with a peer, and only 3% need law enforcement. And so being a lot smarter about how we are responding to people in crisis - because they don't need to go to jail, most of them don't even need to go to an emergency room. We also took this opportunity to set up a structure where we can have more technology and data. We would love to do a bed tracking system, so someone who needs help - the 988 operator can take a look and know that there is a bed available for them, that they can connect them to treatment. Come January, our state mandates next-day appointments. So if you call the crisis line, your insurance or Medicaid - whatever it can be - is mandated that the next day you are going to go see somebody. And that's going to be a game changer because you're making sure people get the treatment they need when they need it. So I am super excited about this system. More work to be done on it, but we are well on our path to do it. We - normally, in the state of Washington, while we can be proud of so much, we are not the state that is in the top 10 for mental health services, but our 988 bill is the national model in the country. And I have to say, I was very proud - with Representative Orwall who sponsored the bill, and I - both of us got an award, actually a national award, recognizing us for our 988 bill. So very, very exciting time and so much more to come on this. [00:42:20] Crystal Fincher: Excellent. And what do you say to people who are concerned that - who are trying to avoid a situation that may be escalated, especially with some of the challenges that law enforcement have in responding to and deescalation, deescalating situations - whether it's people of color, or disabled people, or people in crisis - that calling 988 could result in a law enforcement response or an involuntary confinement for behavioral health treatment. [00:42:53] Senator Manka Dhingra: When I said the numbers on the percentage of calls and the manner in which they're dealt with, what you find is when you have the right resources right at the beginning, you don't need law enforcement, you don't need civil commitment because you are able to, again, use your motivational interviewing skills. You're able to offer people services and support. That next-day appointment is critical. Because if they're willing to go see someone - a doctor, a nurse, a mental health specialist, whoever that person may be - they don't need to be involuntary treatment, ITA'ed as they call it, because they're going in for treatment. So you have to make early intervention options available as much as possible. There are always those individuals who may need a high level of care, so you have to make sure that you are able to meet them wherever they are - but you got to make sure you're providing early intervention. I will have a bill next session that actually sets up these facilities called 23-hour facilities. And so the hope really is that those individuals who can't wait for the next-day appointment, that we are actually able to take them to these 23-hour facilities where the hope really is that they're there for 23 hours - because they can't stay there longer than that - and then you have to have a transition plan on how you're going to get them connected to other services and support. And that's what we have found is that - the right intervention at the right time - really, people want help, that's why they're calling. They're not calling because they actually want to kill themselves. It's because they're like, Help me, I'm afraid I'm going to do this. And so you have to provide the help that they're asking for. [00:44:31] Crystal Fincher: Much appreciated. I appreciate you taking the time to go through all of this with us today. As we close, I wanted to talk about one of my favorite things that you, or any legislator does - and that is working with youth. How do you do that? And what were you able to accomplish? [00:44:49] Senator Manka Dhingra: I love working with our youth. When I first ran for office five years ago - at that time, my kids were 13 and 15. And I used to coach Destination Imagination, and Math Team, and a lot of teams. And so I had to tell them that, Hey, I'm going to run for office, so I'm going to have to step aside from coaching these teams. And the teens were like, Can we help? And I'm like, Yes. So I had 250 teenagers helping me on my first and second campaign - no one had heard, seen so many teenagers working on a campaign. And so my promise to them was - I will continue engaging with them. So I sponsor bills that have been brought to me by teens every year for the last five years. And my favorite bill for next session is going to be one - is one - that's been brought to me by teens in my district. And that's around eliminating gender-based pricing. They literally went to Target and Costco and took pictures of a bike helmet that's pink in color and the exact same helmet - same company, same everything - that's blue in color. And the blue helmet is for $20 and the pink helmet is for $25. And they even did that with adult diapers. I didn't know this, but apparently women's adult diapers are much more expensive than men adult diapers - no clue why. So I'm going to have that bill next session - I'm super excited about it. But these teens are the ones that made sure we now have menstrual products in all our schools and college bathrooms. We no longer, in Washington, pay taxes on menstrual products. And it's not just this stuff they care about - they care about access to mental health treatment and services, and substance use disorder, and criminal justice reform. You name it, and these teens want to make positive changes. And I cannot tell you how excited I feel looking at the next generation. [00:46:44] Crystal Fincher: Absolutely. And this isn't even the first bill that they've brought to you. In fact, we have better access to menstrual products because of youth bringing up legislation, correct? [00:46:54] Senator Manka Dhingra: Absolutely. They really want to make sure that they can change the world. And that bill came about because of a conversation I was having with some of the teens. And the teens in the Redmond High School said they have menstrual products in their school. And I knew that teens in Kent and Moses Lake did not. And they started talking about how that's just not fair - that our school districts in more affluent communities are actually providing menstrual products than schools that are not in affluent areas. And guess who needs it more? And so just the fact that these teens think about access - and think about who is getting services and resources and who isn't - is just heartwarming for me. And the fact that they're willing to fight for others. So yes, all schools in Washington and colleges provide menstrual products in bathrooms now. [00:47:51] Crystal Fincher: Absolutely. And if people want to learn more about the work that you're doing or support legislation that you have, what's the best way for them to get engaged? [00:48:00] Senator Manka Dhingra: The best way is to email my office, or get a hold of me on social media, and subscribe to my newsletter. If anyone is interested in any particular bill or issue, my office can help you get connected to how to get more information. But check out our website, leg.wa.gov - they have a lot of resources on how you can follow a bill, how you can sign up to testify. Our hearings are all hybrid, so you can testify on an issue from the comfort of your home or your car - as long as you're not driving. And if you don't want to testify, you can send in written testimony or simply show your support for a bill or opposition to a bill - and all of that gets counted. And democracy is not an individual sport - it is a team sport. You got to play and you got to be part of a team - and that's the only way we make our world better. [00:48:56] Crystal Fincher: Well, thank you so much today, Senator Manka Dhingra, for joining us and for sharing all of the work that you're doing. [00:49:02] Senator Manka Dhingra: Thank you so much. This was a great conversation and I loved absolutely chatting about these tough issues with you. [00:49:09] Crystal Fincher: Well, thank you and we will stay in touch. Thank you all for listening to Hacks & Wonks. The producer of Hacks & Wonks is Lisl Stadler. Our assistant producer is Shannon Cheng, and our Post-Production Assistant is Bryce Cannatelli. You can find Hacks & Wonks on Twitter @HacksWonks, and you can follow me @finchfrii, spelled F-I-N-C-H-F-R-I-I. You can catch Hacks & Wonks on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever else you get your podcasts - just type "Hacks and Wonks" into the search bar. Be sure to subscribe to get our Friday almost-live shows and our midweek show delivered right to your podcast feed. If you like us, leave us a review wherever you listen. You can also get a full transcript of this episode and links to the resources referenced in the show at officialhacksandwonks.com and in the episode notes. Thanks for tuning in - talk to you next time.

Nancy, Julie and Danny chat about Julie's recent experience with Crisis Intervention Training as a law enforcement officer.

Dr. Sam Zand, Co-founder & Chief Medical Officer of Better U, joins Paul F. Austin for a rich conversation on at-home ketamine-assisted therapy. As a practicing psychiatrist and the Chief Medical Officer of Better U, Dr. Sam Zand utilizes his expertise in neuroplasticity to help patients address the root cause of their problems and establish new ways of thinking. After initial psychedelic medicine research at Johns Hopkins University, Dr. Zand began treating patients clinically with ketamine in 2019. He now teaches psychedelic medicine rotations to psychiatry residents and medical students and is an advocate and spokesperson for the FDA-approved esketamine, Spravato. He is trained in general psychiatry, addiction recovery, and psychotherapy, and has a passion for psychedelic therapy, crisis intervention, relationship counseling, and integrated spiritual therapy. In addition to being a co-founder of Better U, Dr. Zand is also the owner and CEO of a national telepsychiatry service, Anywhere Clinic. He has merged his passions for lifestyle medicine, performance coaching, and entrepreneurship to establish platforms that build leaders and medical healers. He assisted in Crisis Intervention Training for the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, helped create mental skills departments for professional sports teams and corporations, and has worked with industry leaders, corporate executives, and pro athletes. Dr. Zand is passionate about increasing education to end the stigma that surrounds mental health topics, advancing the integration of psychiatry and spirituality, and making clinically proven, innovative new therapies more accessible for all. Find episode links, summary, and transcript here. Highlights: Understanding the differences between Spravato and generic ketamine, and the role each might play in the future of psychedelic-assisted therapy. ‘The Skill of Psychedelics' - looking at medicines like ketamine in the bigger picture of healing, growth, and transformation. Dr. Zand's Four phases of healing: Heal, Grow, Love, Transcend What differentiates Better U from other telemedicine psychedelic-assisted therapy services Dr. Zand on effective dosing, intention-setting, and utilization of psychotherapy. Exploring the correlation between dissociative experience and positive transformation How ego actualization and ego dissolution fit into the greater path of healing and transformation. Transcending pathology and the disease-care model of mental healthcare to embrace the biopsychosocial-spiritual model. The ‘Powered by Better U' Model of collaboration to bring beneficial ketamine treatments beyond the clinic. Closing Episode Links: Better U Better Universe Foundation Dr. Zand on LinkedIn Recent clinical trial on the safety and efficacy of at-home ketamine treatments Third Wave's Guide to Ketamine MAPS This podcast is brought to you by Third Wave's Mushroom Grow Kit. The biggest problem for anyone starting to explore the magical world of mushrooms is consistent access from reputable sources. That's why we've been working on a simple, elegant (and legal!) solution for the past several months. Third Wave's Mushroom Grow Kit and Course has the tools you need to grow mushrooms along with an in-depth guide to finding spores. This episode is also brought to you by Apollo Neuro, the first scientifically validated wearable that actively improves your body's resilience to stress. Apollo engages with your sense of touch to deliver soothing vibrations that signal safety to the brain. Clinically proven to improve heart rate variability, it can actually enhance the outcomes of your other efforts like deep breathing, yoga, meditation, and plant medicine. Apollo was developed by a friend of Third Wave, Dr. David Rabin M.D Ph.D., a neuroscientist and board-certified psychiatrist who has been studying the impact of chronic stress in humans for nearly 15 years. Third Wave listeners get 15% off—just use this link.

Welcome to this impacting episode of Light ‘Em Up!We are grateful to you for joining us. Please tell a friend about us!  Remind them that they can find our full catalogue here on every major platform where you get your podcasts!How often do you see or hear where a person who is suffering extremely from some type of a mental health crisis which ends with the person being killed at the hands of law enforcement? Once is too many. I've observed this far too many times to count.Tonight, we center our investigative journalistic focus on: Policing the mentally ill. This is one of the biggest challenges facing today's law enforcement officers.We'll examine the role law enforcement plays and how their responses have life or death consequences – impacting those who are most vulnerable and in the throes of a mental health crisis which is spiraling rapidly downward.It is important to note that the vast majority of people with mental health conditions are not violent and do not violate laws, but rather are more likely to be victims of violence themselves.● Individuals with severe mental illness generate less than 1 in 10 calls for police service and occupy at least 1 in 5 of America's prison and jail beds.● In the U.S. about 1 in 5 adults (20%) suffer from a diagnosable mental illness in any given year.● According to NAMI (The National Alliance on Mental Illness) 43.8 million adults in the U.S. experience mental illness annually.It is imperative for you to know if your local police force has a Crisis Intervention Team (CIT).  CIT training is a specialized police curriculum that aims to reduce the risk of serious injury or death during an emergency interaction between persons with mental illness and police officers.The lack of mental health crisis services across the U.S. means that law enforcement officers serve as first responders to most crises. A CIT program is an innovative, community-based approach to improve the outcomes of these encounters.This is especially important if you, a loved one, family member, friend or colleague may suffer from depression, anxiety, PTSD, schizophrenia, or any mental health challenges or issues.  This multi-layer patient-focused collaborative approach can often be the difference between life and death for the person experiencing a mental crisis situation.In this timely and important episode, we'll unpack:● Riveting case studies of Joshua Barre, Joshua Harvey and Daniel Prude - all African-American men.  All suffering from some form of mental health issue.  All three were killed by police.● Personal insights from having observed a mentally challenged individual unattended in public.● An in-depth analysis of Crisis Intervention Team Training (CIT).● The role police play in handling mentally ill persons.● The decision-making process from a police officer's perspective regarding mentally ill persons.● Law enforcement's formal and informal “options” for handling mentally ill persons. ● The factors contributing to the problem and the implications of criminalizing mental illness. ●Finally, we focus the conversation on some policy recommendations to help improve the overall process.We'd like to thank our friends at Feedspot, as recently we were honored by being ranked #6 in their most recent poll out of the 40 Best Criminal Justice Podcasts.  Visit their blog at www.Feedspot.com or simply follow this link:  Best 40 Criminal Justice Podcasts You Follow in 2022 (feedspot.com) And for all your news and current affairs check out our friends at Newsly by visiting https://newsly.me.  Use the promo code L1GHTEMUP to launch your 10% savings.We bring the classroom to you! We are here for you and because of you! Executive Producer,Phil Rizzo 

Crisis intervention training: 'We want to save everybody, that's why we got into this job': https://www.richlandsource.com/news/crisis-intervention-training-we-want-to-save-everybody-that-s-why-we-got-into-this/article_b44c8eb2-61f4-11ed-a68b-4fc1ff5b027a.html?block_id=1098581 Composition dedicated to former Mansfield Symphony Chorus director: https://www.richlandsource.com/open_source/open-source-composition-dedicated-to-former-mansfield-symphony-chorus-director/article_dce2ab80-6308-11ed-b7f0-bb68f0d87f49.html Today – Since 2004 Richland County has hosted crisis intervention training for local law enforcement officers.Support the show: https://www.sourcemembers.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In recent years with police involved shootings and violent encounters, you started hearing about Crisis Intervention training for police officers. That training paid off for officers of the North County Police Cooperative this past Sunday, following an encounter with a woman who was having a mental health crisis. KMOX's Maria Keena goes in depth.

In Episode 4, Dr. Alfiee speaks with two “brothers” serving the Black Men Heal mission, expanding the non-profit's free online therapy out into the world with an ongoing tour in various cities across the U.S. The two guests not only work for Black Men Heal, but they each have used the organization's free therapy for themselves.  Guest Doug McNeill Reed, Director of Partnerships, openly shares his healing journey after divorces, and tragically losing his father at age 12.  Guest Reginald A. Howard, Senior Program Coordinator, who attempted suicide multiple times, bravely shares an early life experience related to an armed robbery. Reginald wrote an inspiring book called Suffering into Success: A Paradigm Shift Of Struggle To Achieve Happiness. (https://www.amazon.com/Suffering-Into-Success-Paradigm-Happiness-ebook/dp/B07L1XYHF). Both are passionate about using their lives to mentor others, and serving communities, both virtually Sundays through Black Men Heal's “King's Corner” Zoom sessions started two years ago, and now physically through the tour. The next is Aug. 20th in Houston and then Sept. 24th in Chicago (subject to change due to pandemic.) One of the key topics that consistently came up in the virtual meetings was that “Black men need hugs.” Reginald discusses how lack of affection as a young boy still challenges him now with his own children, to which Dr. Alfiee said how inspirational his transparency will be for others.  Hence, the tour has been named “King's Corner–Black Men Need Hugs.”  The community outreach effort is sending messages of hope, connection and vulnerability.  Free food, massages, and mindfulness teachings are also part of the tour. Here's a clip describing the recent stop in Atlanta, Aug.6th, 2022.: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wAdd1db2Fk The beginnings: Reginald: He went for free therapy from Black Men Heal in 2018, after multitude suicide attempts, and then after that experience, he was in horrible car accident.  The first call he got in the hospital was from the therapist from Black Men Heal. He later became an advocate for mental health.  “I went back to the organization that served me and that's how I became part of the (Black Men Heal) team,” Reginald shares. Douglas: He has worked in prisons for 25 years, had been in the  military, and wanted to try free therapy, which he said helped him release a lot of  baggage and that he now feels blessed by the experience. “Through my lived experiences, I just tell the story, and I try to be unapologetic, as I've heard you say Dr. Alfiee.” Dr. Alfiee:  “I always want for us to have a way to identify us as collective…feel stronger when all of us who I identify as people of color can rise together.”  –Marginalized identity: “I'm not centered in the mainstream unless I center myself.” –”Not only is it OK to ask for help, but to give them help that reflects them (the Black male).” Mission/Vision of Black Men Heal: Doug: “Sensitive to my needs, talking to therapist, and working those things out, released so much, and so free, and understanding vulnerability, just want to be open, no restrictions…she (the founder, Tasnim Sulaiman, a licensed professional counselor) created a space for he Black man to come in and feel comfortable sharing our thoughts, views and just being vulnerable.” Reginald: “ We got the connection of people showing up because they feel King's Corner is for them, and men come into the space and they see us, and feel this is for me, this is a home I can come to, and I can get support when needed.” More on King's Corner:  King's Corner is a free weekly virtual mental health support group that has serviced over 2000 men.  The George Floyd incident fueled the creation of the online event. Requests from all over the world for free therapy started coming in. Doug: “We called it a virtual free space, psycho-education. Let's come up with some subjects that affect Black men…overwhelming response…to learn about depression, anxiety and things that affect us like mass incarceration, pornography, divorce and infidelity.” –“One of the beauties about this is I'm a baby boomer, and Reg is a millennial.  You get two sides.”  Reginald:”There's healing happening on this Corner and that's what we say to people every week.” –Doug: “When a man starts to heal himself he needs a spiritual foundation.” –A DJ friend told him to “account for the details”: “I know we can account for details for the bad things we did, but let's start making more accountability for the good things we did.” Dr. Alfiee: “It's so healing for a Black man to say, yes, I made some mistakes, but I'm a work in progress too…so healing for women to hear that from them, too.” Reginald: Discusses an award given every year called the MVB–the most vulnerable brother, and who got it and why. Dr. Alfiee:  “What you're doing is ministry…you're giving them living water, for wherever they are in the moment, this is the water you need.” Reginald: A new initiative on Gun Violence Group Therapy is discussed.  “From listening to both of you, young people will see there is another way…and part of that is being vulnerable to a point…and understand you have a range of emotions, because you're supposed to experience a range of emotions…you can't be in one place all the time.” Reginald: “Every time you want to get to someplace great, there is going  to be some turbulence. What you're  going through is for a greater purpose.  If you can embrace that, the outcome should be worth it.” Black Men Heal: https://blackmenheal.org Black Men Heal is a grassroots nonprofit organization, established in 2018, as a solution to a broken inequitable mental health care system that does not center the needs of marginalized Black and Brown Communities. It focuses on the mental health needs of Black men because of the lack of resources attending solely to this population. The  mission is to provide mental health treatment, education, and resources to men of color–and to help increase the likelihood that Black men will self-initiate treatment for mental health struggles. Douglas McNeill Reed, Director of Partnerships  Doug, (affectionately known as DReed), is a military veteran and dedicated social justice/mental health advocate.  He has an expansive career that includes experience in law enforcement, organizational management, government contracts, and working toward achieving greater diversity and equity within our armed forces. In addition to being a crucial part of Black Men Heal's non-profit development. Doug was the 2nd Vice President, for the Partnership for Youth, a nonprofit organization focusing on instilling positive value in youth during a 3-day paramilitary camp and seminar. The organization conducted camps three times a year for 200 inner city youth from Camden, NJ. He served as an equal Opportunity Representative during his last active-duty station in Ft. Dix, NJ. As non-commissioned officer, Douglas was trained to report, instruct, and know the legal policy of discriminatory behavior in the armed forces.  He taught diversity for more than 600 staff members and helped train employees, from executives to staff members, how to better interact with others of different backgrounds. Doug's positive and charismatic energy is a strong influence and motivational tool to those who engage with his passion and intellect. His dynamic speaking and presenting skills have been featured on panels alongside notable mental health advocates and experts such as Charlamagne Tha God, Dr. Alfiee, and former NFL players Jay Barnettt, and Ryan Mundy. Follow Douglas: https://linktr.ee/Douglasmreed https://www.instagram.com/douglas_mreed/ Reginald A.  Howard, Senior Program Coordinator Reginald A. Howard is a multiple suicide attempt survivor turned mental health activist.  Reggie's dedication to healing provoked him to start the Black Mental Health Podcast which currently has 50,000 downloads and earned media attention from the Philadelphia Tribune, Women's Health Magazine, and various other media outlets.  Reg's commitment to seeing improvement in the health care system led him to become a Community Consultant with the Collaborative Opportunities to Advance Community Health (COACH) Trauma-Informed Healing – Centered Practices Advisory Group from the Health Care Improvement Foundation.  His passion for mental health earned credentials from the Pennsylvania Certification Board as a Community Health Worker and Certified Peer Specialist. He serves on many boards including the board of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Drexel University and the National Alliance of Mental Illness.  Reg has presented to a diversity of audiences including the City of Philadelphia, Rotary Clubs, Philadelphia Prison System Training Academy, the Philadelphia Police Department's Crisis Intervention Training and multiple engagements with the School District of Philadelphia. He currently attends Drexel University, intending to become a psychiatrist. He uses his life experiences to ignite, inspire and empower others to prioritize their mental health. Follow Reginald: Website: https://reginaldahoward.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reginaldahoward/ Podcast: https://blackmentalhealthpodcast.libsyn.com/black-mental-health-podcast-053-prison-reform-mental-wellness Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackmenheal/ Follow Dr. Alfiee: Website:  https://dralfiee.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dralfiee Twitter: https://twitter.com/dralfiee Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dralfiee/ Website: https://dralfiee.com Find out more about the AAKOMA Project here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvTKmYKi24I Season 3 Produced By: https://socialchameleon.us More Couched in Color: https://dralfiee.com/podcast Music Produced by: Mark “King” Batson (Superproducer of your favorite artists and Grammy award-winner for albums with Eminem and Beyoncé)

In Episode 4, Dr. Alfiee speaks with two “brothers” serving the Black Men Heal mission, expanding the non-profit's free online therapy out into the world with an ongoing tour in various cities across the U.S. The two guests not only work for Black Men Heal, but they each have used the organization's free therapy for themselves.  Guest Doug McNeill Reed, Director of Partnerships, openly shares his healing journey after divorces, and tragically losing his father at age 12.  Guest Reginald A. Howard, Senior Program Coordinator, who attempted suicide multiple times, bravely shares an early life experience related to an armed robbery. Reginald wrote an inspiring book called Suffering into Success: A Paradigm Shift Of Struggle To Achieve Happiness. (https://www.amazon.com/Suffering-Into-Success-Paradigm-Happiness-ebook/dp/B07L1XYHF). Both are passionate about using their lives to mentor others, and serving communities, both virtually Sundays through Black Men Heal's “King's Corner” Zoom sessions started two years ago, and now physically through the tour. The next is Aug. 20th in Houston and then Sept. 24th in Chicago (subject to change due to pandemic.) One of the key topics that consistently came up in the virtual meetings was that “Black men need hugs.” Reginald discusses how lack of affection as a young boy still challenges him now with his own children, to which Dr. Alfiee said how inspirational his transparency will be for others.  Hence, the tour has been named “King's Corner–Black Men Need Hugs.”  The community outreach effort is sending messages of hope, connection and vulnerability.  Free food, massages, and mindfulness teachings are also part of the tour. Here's a clip describing the recent stop in Atlanta, Aug.6th, 2022.: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wAdd1db2Fk The beginnings: Reginald: He went for free therapy from Black Men Heal in 2018, after multitude suicide attempts, and then after that experience, he was in horrible car accident.  The first call he got in the hospital was from the therapist from Black Men Heal. He later became an advocate for mental health.  “I went back to the organization that served me and that's how I became part of the (Black Men Heal) team,” Reginald shares. Douglas: He has worked in prisons for 25 years, had been in the  military, and wanted to try free therapy, which he said helped him release a lot of  baggage and that he now feels blessed by the experience. “Through my lived experiences, I just tell the story, and I try to be unapologetic, as I've heard you say Dr. Alfiee.” Dr. Alfiee:  “I always want for us to have a way to identify us as collective…feel stronger when all of us who I identify as people of color can rise together.”  –Marginalized identity: “I'm not centered in the mainstream unless I center myself.” –”Not only is it OK to ask for help, but to give them help that reflects them (the Black male).” Mission/Vision of Black Men Heal: Doug: “Sensitive to my needs, talking to therapist, and working those things out, released so much, and so free, and understanding vulnerability, just want to be open, no restrictions…she (the founder, Tasnim Sulaiman, a licensed professional counselor) created a space for he Black man to come in and feel comfortable sharing our thoughts, views and just being vulnerable.” Reginald: “ We got the connection of people showing up because they feel King's Corner is for them, and men come into the space and they see us, and feel this is for me, this is a home I can come to, and I can get support when needed.” More on King's Corner:  King's Corner is a free weekly virtual mental health support group that has serviced over 2000 men.  The George Floyd incident fueled the creation of the online event. Requests from all over the world for free therapy started coming in. Doug: “We called it a virtual free space, psycho-education. Let's come up with some subjects that affect Black men…overwhelming response…to learn about depression, anxiety and things that affect us like mass incarceration, pornography, divorce and infidelity.” –“One of the beauties about this is I'm a baby boomer, and Reg is a millennial.  You get two sides.”  Reginald:”There's healing happening on this Corner and that's what we say to people every week.” –Doug: “When a man starts to heal himself he needs a spiritual foundation.” –A DJ friend told him to “account for the details”: “I know we can account for details for the bad things we did, but let's start making more accountability for the good things we did.” Dr. Alfiee: “It's so healing for a Black man to say, yes, I made some mistakes, but I'm a work in progress too…so healing for women to hear that from them, too.” Reginald: Discusses an award given every year called the MVB–the most vulnerable brother, and who got it and why. Dr. Alfiee:  “What you're doing is ministry…you're giving them living water, for wherever they are in the moment, this is the water you need.” Reginald: A new initiative on Gun Violence Group Therapy is discussed.  “From listening to both of you, young people will see there is another way…and part of that is being vulnerable to a point…and understand you have a range of emotions, because you're supposed to experience a range of emotions…you can't be in one place all the time.” Reginald: “Every time you want to get to someplace great, there is going  to be some turbulence. What you're  going through is for a greater purpose.  If you can embrace that, the outcome should be worth it.” Black Men Heal: https://blackmenheal.org Black Men Heal is a grassroots nonprofit organization, established in 2018, as a solution to a broken inequitable mental health care system that does not center the needs of marginalized Black and Brown Communities. It focuses on the mental health needs of Black men because of the lack of resources attending solely to this population. The  mission is to provide mental health treatment, education, and resources to men of color–and to help increase the likelihood that Black men will self-initiate treatment for mental health struggles. Douglas McNeill Reed, Director of Partnerships  Doug, (affectionately known as DReed), is a military veteran and dedicated social justice/mental health advocate.  He has an expansive career that includes experience in law enforcement, organizational management, government contracts, and working toward achieving greater diversity and equity within our armed forces. In addition to being a crucial part of Black Men Heal's non-profit development. Doug was the 2nd Vice President, for the Partnership for Youth, a nonprofit organization focusing on instilling positive value in youth during a 3-day paramilitary camp and seminar. The organization conducted camps three times a year for 200 inner city youth from Camden, NJ. He served as an equal Opportunity Representative during his last active-duty station in Ft. Dix, NJ. As non-commissioned officer, Douglas was trained to report, instruct, and know the legal policy of discriminatory behavior in the armed forces.  He taught diversity for more than 600 staff members and helped train employees, from executives to staff members, how to better interact with others of different backgrounds. Doug's positive and charismatic energy is a strong influence and motivational tool to those who engage with his passion and intellect. His dynamic speaking and presenting skills have been featured on panels alongside notable mental health advocates and experts such as Charlamagne Tha God, Dr. Alfiee, and former NFL players Jay Barnettt, and Ryan Mundy. Follow Douglas: https://linktr.ee/Douglasmreed https://www.instagram.com/douglas_mreed/ Reginald A.  Howard, Senior Program Coordinator Reginald A. Howard is a multiple suicide attempt survivor turned mental health activist.  Reggie's dedication to healing provoked him to start the Black Mental Health Podcast which currently has 50,000 downloads and earned media attention from the Philadelphia Tribune, Women's Health Magazine, and various other media outlets.  Reg's commitment to seeing improvement in the health care system led him to become a Community Consultant with the Collaborative Opportunities to Advance Community Health (COACH) Trauma-Informed Healing – Centered Practices Advisory Group from the Health Care Improvement Foundation.  His passion for mental health earned credentials from the Pennsylvania Certification Board as a Community Health Worker and Certified Peer Specialist. He serves on many boards including the board of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Drexel University and the National Alliance of Mental Illness.  Reg has presented to a diversity of audiences including the City of Philadelphia, Rotary Clubs, Philadelphia Prison System Training Academy, the Philadelphia Police Department's Crisis Intervention Training and multiple engagements with the School District of Philadelphia. He currently attends Drexel University, intending to become a psychiatrist. He uses his life experiences to ignite, inspire and empower others to prioritize their mental health. Follow Reginald: Website: https://reginaldahoward.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reginaldahoward/ Podcast: https://blackmentalhealthpodcast.libsyn.com/black-mental-health-podcast-053-prison-reform-mental-wellness Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackmenheal/ Follow Dr. Alfiee: Website:  https://dralfiee.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dralfiee Twitter: https://twitter.com/dralfiee Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dralfiee/ Website: https://dralfiee.com Find out more about the AAKOMA Project here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvTKmYKi24I Season 3 Produced By: https://socialchameleon.us More Couched in Color: https://dralfiee.com/podcast Music Produced by: Mark “King” Batson (Superproducer of your favorite artists and Grammy award-winner for albums with Eminem and Beyoncé)

Jeffrey Mosher welcomes Sarah Milanowski L.M.S.W., Manager of Enrollment & Marketing & Jennifer Haak, LBSW, Behavioral Health Clinician LifeCircles PACE, Muskegon, MI. CIT Training · LifeCircles PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly) has been assisting in Crisis Intervention Training, along with multiple community partners, to equip law enforcement for responding to individuals experiencing a behavioral crisis. · Being a partner involved with CIT training has been important to the organization's mission and helped the greater community with how to react to these types of situations. · The training utilizes a community partnership made up of law enforcement, mental health professionals, and others who navigate non-criminal crises that may be related to mental health or other unmet needs. · CIT was brought to West Michigan by HealthWest, with the first training held last February. LifeCircles joined as a partner among other community organizations such as DHHS, AgeWell Services, and more · Every three months, 16 officers graduate from the CIT training. The program is an intensive 40-hour week that consists of modules focused on ways to deescalate situations related to mental health, substance abuse, geriatric care, and more. · A dementia diagnosis can be challenging for the individual and their loved ones, but LifeCircles is making it a priority to show that there are ways to provide respectful engagement to enhance quality of life for those impacted by dementia About LifeCircles PACE: At LifeCircles PACE, we believe living at home matters to older adults, because we know it matters to you. Our program is unique in its simplicity and common-sense approach to senior care. LifeCircles has provided an in-home alternative to traditional nursing home living since 2009. We provide peace of mind and support to seniors and their caregivers by providing all-inclusive medical and support services in-homes and at our day centers. For more information, visit our website: www.lifecircles-pace.org.

In the episode, "A Point of View from a Man in Blue with Jeff Gironda: Crisis Intervention Training and a Broken Mental Healthcare System (S3, E11),"  former New York City police officer, Jeff Gironda, who worked 10 years of patrol in Midtown and has experience as a detective specialist, shares his insight on the broken mental healthcare system, as well as present and future actions towards change within training for the police department.   Jeff became an instructor at the Police Academy for training recruits in an EDP workshop (emotionally disturbed people) in concert with John Jay, and then went on to lead a 4-day immersive course in Crisis Intervention Training (CIT), which incorporates scenario-based training with clinicians, the NYPD, and professional actors.  Emphasizing a much more humanizing approach, the CIT program went national and is still helping today's police properly interact with those in emotionally disturbed states. Jeff also shares how this positive growth within the police department can be an example to how other institutions can promote a more compassionate perspective when dealing with people in states of mental distress, especially the medical establishments who claim expertise in this area. #PTSD #mentalillness #CIT #crisisinterventiontraining #NYPD #anxiety #depression #mentalhospitals #mentalhealth Don't forget to subscribe to the Not As Crazy As You Think YouTube channel @SicilianoJenAnd please visit my website at: www.jengaitasiciliano.comConnect: Instagram: @ jengaitaLinkedIn: @ jensicilianoTwitter: @ jsiciliano

Harold Pollack, the Crown Family School's Helen Ross Professor and Thomas J. Dart, Cook County, (IL) Sheriff discuss what Sheriff Dart has learned about policing and mental and behavioral health, the co-responder model, and how he has enhanced the co-responder model to combine the use of tablets with Crisis Intervention Training. They also talk about how social work and policing can learn from one another to help keep everyone in the community safe. Music by Augusta Read Thomas, UChicago University Professor of Composition in the Department of Music and the College. Visit the Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice at https://crownschool.uchicago.edu/

Guest: Katie Sanford , blogger, "Not Like the Others"“You raise expectations, and raised expectations are what people need.” - MindyFrom Katie's blog:"Throughout the course of my life with schizoaffective disorder, I have always been considered high functioning. But high functioning doesn't mean my life is normal or even symptom-free. "Katie Sanford is a blogger and advocate living with schizoaffective disorder who uses her insights and experiences to  promote a deeper understanding of schizophrenia-spectrum disorders. She details her experiences on her blog, Not Like The Others, and is also an ambassador for NAMI Chicago involved with Crisis Intervention Training. She has been a guest speaker for college classes, webinars, and podcasts, and her story has been featured on platforms like Women's Health Online.Questions:Tell us Your Story!How does schizoaffective disorder impact you at work?How does it impact your relationships?Is an outcome like yours possible for everyone?And why do you think it's important for people to hear from individuals with lived experience?What role has family played for you in your recovery? - support, treatment, early diagnosisAdvice for practitioners? - Believe your  patients moreFrom article she wrote for The Mighty: “Receiving a mental health diagnosis isn't the end of your life, it's just the beginning of a new chapter. But it may be daunting or terrifying. When I was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, I had no idea what my future would look like...While my mind went spinning into denial, fear and acceptance that life as I knew it was over, a part of me clung to hope and refused to give up.Hope wasn't enough to solve all my problems.”Links:https://katiesanford.net/wp/https://themighty.com/Who Are the 3 Moms?Randye Kaye -Broadcaster, Actress, Voice Talent, Speaker, and Author (“Ben Behind his Voices”)Miriam Feldman – Artist, Mom, Author “He Came in With It”Mindy Greiling – member of the Minnesota House of Representatives for twenty years. Activist, Legislator, Author (“Fix What You Can“)     

Pooja and Senator Dhingra touch on the social stigmas and conceptions of mental wellbeing versus physical wellbeing, finding a career that's aligned with your inner true self, using nature as a medium for finding calm, and defining success in ones life and career.About Washington State Senator Manka Dhingra:Manka Dhingra is Deputy Majority Leader of the Washington State Senate. She brings two decades of experience as a prosecutor and behavioral health expert to her roles as chair of the Senate Behavioral Health Subcommittee and vice chair of the Senate Law & Justice Committee. She also serves on the Ways & Means Committee.Dhingra was first elected to the Senate by the constituents of the 45th Legislative District in November 2017, the first Sikh legislator elected in the nation. Since then, she has sponsored and passed legislation addressing a wide range of issue areas, including: curbing domestic violence and sexual assault, preventing firearm violence, providing property tax relief for seniors and people with disabilities, prosecuting financial fraud, and reforming the criminal justice system with an evidence-based approach.During her time in the Senate, Dhingra has helped pass legislation and funding to transform the Washington State behavioral health system, reorienting it around prevention rather than crisis response. She continues to strive to ensure that Washingtonians with behavioral health needs get the treatment they need and deserve.As a member of the Special Committee on Economic Recovery, she is helping the state craft an economic plan to lead an equitable recovery from the COVID economic downturn. She also serves on several task forces dedicated to reducing poverty, reforming the criminal justice system, improving equity in state government, and providing a sound and fair fiscal footing for the state.Dhingra continues to serve as a Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney with the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office. As Chair of the Therapeutic Alternative Unit, she helped develop and oversee the Regional Mental Health Court, the Veterans Court, and the Community Assessment and Referral for Diversion program. As a mental health and crisis intervention expert, she has also been an instructor at the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission for the 40-hour Crisis Intervention Training for law enforcement officers to reduce the risk of tragedy and improve the response to people in crisis.Outside the courtroom, Dhingra is a community leader and anti-domestic violence advocate on the Eastside. She co-founded Chaya, an organization that assists South Asian survivors of domestic violence and led the organization's work toward ending systemic violence through education and prevention. She also serves on the board of the National Alliance on Mental Illness Eastside.Keep up with  Senator Dhingra:Website: https://senatedemocrats.wa.gov/dhingra/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SenatorDhingra--For more from Host Pooja Mottl:  www.PoojaMottl.comPodcast Producer: www.Go-ToProductions.comTwitter: @PoojaMottlInstagram: @TheCalmandFreePodcast and @PoojaMottl  LinkedIn: @PoojaMottlSpecial Thanks to Kris Kosach of the TPR Podcast for lending her VO for our Podcast Intro! 

  Jackie Lacey served as District Attorney for Los Angeles County from 2012 to 2020.    She was both the first woman and the first Black person  to serve in this important role.   A District Attorney is an elected official, and their role is to represent the people in prosecuting crimes in the county.  In 2014, DA Lacey initiated a committee to look at the nexus of the criminal justice system and mental illness.  As you will hear from this interview, she was encouraged and supported and mentored by many people.  In particular, she mentions Judge Steven Leifman who is known for his crusading work in this space in Miami-Dade County.   She also gives considerable credit to the Los Angeles chapter of the National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) and their participation in the task force.The resulting report – Mental Health Advisory Board:  A Blueprint for Change --  was issued on August 4, 2015  and was  acclaimed as an important guide to move forward on key initiatives to not only change the manner in which crisis response calls are handled by law enforcement (who are really not equipped to play this role in the mental health space) to imagining a different way forward to either divert people struggling with mental illness from the criminal justice system or place them in supportive housing upon release from jail.  Among several changes initiated (including a robust Crisis Intervention Training commitment made  by the dozens of local law enforcement agencies throughout L.A. County), the Office of Diversion and Re-entry (ODR) was created which has led to positive outcomes in reducing recidivism and stabilizing people leaving the criminal justice system.As the report states on page one: “the jail environment is not conducive to the treatment of mental illness.”   Heart Forward is grateful that Jackie Lacey displayed the leadership and courage to take this on.

Pete started the show talking about Joe Biden's lowered poll and approval numbers, and bridged that into a conversation about how some key Democrats are already putting themselves behind the 8-ball for re-election. Pete referenced the previous Governor's race between Pat McCrory and Roy Cooper and how HB2 was the elephant in the room. To wrap the hour, Pete played audio from Missouri Congresswoman Cori Bush - who said on an ABC program that she's in favor of defunding the police DESPITE hiring private security for herself because she claimed she's had death threats sent her way. Pete started the 1pm hour talking about the way Democrats are defending themselves right now in the media. Pete advised them to not really mention the economy right now if they want to get an edge in their key races. Pete continued the conversation about Cori Bush and talked about her connections to Erica Smith and Cheri Beasley here locally. Pete talked about how there have already been several key members of Beasley's election campaign that have quit. Pete took a call about the wording of the Constitution as well as the Democratic Infrastructure Bill to wrap the hour. To start the 2pm hour, Pete continued to talk about Cori Bush's comments as well as how powerful Jim Clyburn is right now in the Democratic party - with his influence in Ohio as well as speaking up for the continuation of the eviction moratorium in SC. To wrap the show, Pete talked about how efforts to defund the police are not going to work with programs like "Crisis Intervention Training", "Alternatives To Violence" and Nassau County's idea of allowing police to sue protestors that they escalated with.   Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/petekalinershow See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

00:00 Boone County Sheriff Dwayne Carey on Crisis Intervention Training, potential changes to rules for employees in order to draw more potential candidates

In this episode, Joel discusses his work as a police officer, and his decision to become trained as a psychologist, in hopes of making an even greater impact on the people he arrested. Joel discussed his work in Crisis Intervention, working with homeless populations and the training of police officers to work more effectively with mentally ill citizens. He discusses his work with the West Coast Post-trauma Retreat where he works with first responders in an effort to prevent suicide. Suicide is the leading cause of death for first responders and more officers die from suicide than all other factors combined. He explains the reticence of first responders to engage in mental health treatment, and the challenges police officers have in finding a supportive clinician. He and I discussed the murder of George Floyd, the effect on the relationship between police officers and the community, and the subsequent impact on police officers. He discusses the psychological impact of the riots that followed Floyd's death. We also discussed the dynamics that may have played into the lack of action of the other officers at the Floyd incident. We discuss the research of The Milgram Shock Experiment and the Stanford Prison Study where “normal” individuals acted in ways that most would have said they would not have acted but did so in relation to context and authority. Joel discussed his most recent focus on building resiliency in police officers, and training them as part of the Police Academy, as well as training seasoned officers in connecting to their meaning, influenced by Victor Frankel's book, Man's Search for Meaning. He explained that they also teach the difference between compartmentalization, which is necessary and adaptable on the job, as opposed to suppression, which could lead to bottling up and later spilling over of emotions which could affect a responder's personal and professional life. Joel Fay, Ph.D. is a retired police officer who proudly served the force for over 30 years and made a career change, obtaining his Doctorate in Psychology. He now has his own private practice, is the lead clinician for West Coast Post-Trauma Retreat (WCPR), and is the co-founder of the First Responder Support Network, where he is currently the Clinical Director. He also teaches Crisis Intervention Training across California, is the co-author of Counseling Cops, and the author of many articles about emergency service stress. In his private practice, he specializes in working with emergency responders from many different organizations. Dr. Fay has received many awards for his amazing work, including the California Psychological Association 2007 Humanitarian Award and the American Psychological Association 2012 award for Outstanding Contributions to the Practice of Policy and Public Safety Psychology.

As communities examine the way that traditional policing is currently done, we see more and more questions on how police respond to people in mental and behavioral health crises. How and where is this current model coming up short? And what are some alternative approaches that could be more effective, less expensive, could result in better outcomes, and most importantly, could save lives? We've convened an expert panel to talk these models, their benefits, costs, and implementation. This was recorded live on the evening of May 4th. Panel: Dr. Amy Watson is a professor in the Social Work Department at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Her research has focused on police encounters with persons with mental illnesses and the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) model. She has also conducted research on mental health courts and prison re-entry programs. Her current work is looking at models to reduce/eliminate the role of law enforcement in mental health crisis response. Tim Black is Director of Consulting for White Bird Clinic in Eugene, OR. White Bird Clinic launched CAHOOTS (Crisis Assistance Helping Out On The Streets) as a community policing initiative in 1989. Tim has an extensive background in direct service, harm reduction, and mobile crisis intervention. He is currently focused on assisting communities and municipal governments in the development and implementation of programming based on the CAHOOTS model of behavioral health first response service. Senator Manka Dhingra is the Deputy Majority Leader of the Washington State Senate. She is also Chair of the Senate Behavioral Health Subcommittee, and Vice chair of the Senate Law & Justice Committee. She was selected as one of one of the Washington branch of the National Alliance on Mental Illness's 2019 Behavioral Health Champions, for her commitment to improving the entirety of Washington's behavioral health system. She serves as a Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney with the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office. As Chair of the Therapeutic Alternative Unit, she helped develop and oversee the Regional Mental Health Court. She is also a former instructor at the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission for the 40-hour Crisis Intervention Training for law enforcement officers. Theme music from filmmusic.io "Pure Joy" by Otis Galloway License: CC BY (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

As communities examine the way that traditional policing is currently done, we see more and more questions on how police respond to people in mental and behavioral health crises. How and where is this current model coming up short? And what are some alternative approaches that could be more effective, less expensive, could result in better outcomes, and most importantly, could save lives? We've convened an expert panel to talk these models, their benefits, costs, and implementation. 

 This was recorded live on the evening of May 4th. Panel: Dr. Amy Watson is a professor in the Social Work Department at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Her research has focused on police encounters with persons with mental illnesses and the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) model. She has also conducted research on mental health courts and prison re-entry programs. Her current work is looking at models to reduce/eliminate the role of law enforcement in mental health crisis response.  Tim Black is Director of Consulting for White Bird Clinic in Eugene, OR. White Bird Clinic launched CAHOOTS (Crisis Assistance Helping Out On The Streets) as a community policing initiative in 1989. Tim has an extensive background in direct service, harm reduction, and mobile crisis intervention. He is currently focused on assisting communities and municipal governments in the development and implementation of programming based on the CAHOOTS model of behavioral health first response service. Senator Manka Dhingra is the Deputy Majority Leader of the Washington State Senate. She is also Chair of the Senate Behavioral Health Subcommittee, and Vice chair of the Senate Law & Justice Committee. She was selected as one of one of the Washington branch of the National Alliance on Mental Illness's 2019 Behavioral Health Champions, for her commitment to improving the entirety of Washington's behavioral health system. She serves as a Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney with the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office. As Chair of the Therapeutic Alternative Unit, she helped develop and oversee the Regional Mental Health Court. She is also a former instructor at the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission for the 40-hour Crisis Intervention Training for law enforcement officers. Theme music from filmmusic.io "Pure Joy" by Otis Galloway License: CC BY (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Welcome to Episode One:  Hear from ShanShine Speaks as she is calmly accepting herself and working to inspire you to also accept yourself wholeheartedly!  Shannon Nealy is known to the world as ShanShine Speaks. She is an entrepreneur, speaker, and author in the Brilliant Awakening Anthology. With over a decade of experience in Emergency Management, ShanShine heard countless 911 calls during her career, many of them soul shattering. After listening to crisis after crisis, the time came for a shift from re-acting to problems to pro-actively seeking solutions. As an entrepreneur, she is now partnering with organizations world-wide to help others. She shares her story of her own “911 Call” and uses the power of vulnerability to ignite the unlimited power we all carry within. Her current book project, “My 911 Call”: Calm in the Chaos, is slated for release summer 2021. A native of Oklahoma, ShanShine holds a Bachelor of Business Administration & Ethics from Mid-America Christian University. She is certified in Crisis Intervention Training by the Oklahoma City Police Department and received Post Critical Incident Training at the Bill Blackwood Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas. However, life experience has been her greatest teacher. The ShanShine brand is globally recognized with engagements all over world, including international travels to Africa! As a spokesmodel and model, she has represented brands such as Google, ADP, numerous Automobile Brands, and more. In 2020 she represented Ms. Oprah Winfrey as a brand ambassador at the 2020 Vision: Your Life in Focus Tour. Gayle needs to watch out because Oprah may have found a new best friend! Follow ShanShine online at ShanShineSpeaks on all social media platforms to experience life changing content as well as memorable moments. Also, visit www.ShanShineSpeaks.com for bookings, books & services. Don't forget to subscribe to join her email community of Shining Stars and subscribe to the New Podcast ShanShine Speaks! Article Mentioned in this Episode:  https://www.oklahoman.com/article/3342294/for-oklahoma-911-operators-listening-is-critical Book Mentioned in this Episode: "Living with Purpose" (the Legacy and Wisdom of Dr. MYLES MUNROE)  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/shanshinespeaks/message

In this episode, Jimeca Iyomere shares her story of recovery, and reflects on the concept of finding purpose in pain. We talk about accepting support and resources, the role of hope in recovery, and what community members can do to support individuals living with mental illness and substance use disorders. Jimeca is a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist and Forensic Peer Support Specialist with Northwestern's Substance Use Disorder Peer Program. Jimeca has lived experience with recovering from what she describes as debilitating mental illness and drug and alcohol addiction. Jimeca's roles include work with individual community members and the intensive outpatient therapy groups of Northwestern's drug court program. Jimeca also offers the peer perspective portion of Northwestern's Crisis Intervention Training, sharing her story of recovery with the local law enforcement and clinicians who participate. Jimeca's training and certifications include Peer Recovery Specialist training and state certification, Forensic Peer Support Specialist training, Forensic Peer Support Specialist Supervisor certification, Digital Peer Support training, Youth and Adult Mental Health First Aid training, Adult Mental Health First Aid Instructor training, and Virginia Family Network's Advanced Parent Leadership training. Jimeca is also a Certified NAMI Connections Support Group facilitator. **Episode Correction: It is the National Council for Behavioral Health that oversees the implementation of Mental Health First Aid nationally, not Mental Health America.  --------------- Northwestern Community Services: http://www.nwcsb.com NWCSB Peer Recovery Specialists: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COeIOKHIZvw&feature=youtu.be Mental Health First Aid: https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org --------------- The views and opinions expressed on Awareness 2 Action are those of the guests and host and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Prevention Department or Northwestern Community Services.

I met with Patalie Nortman (yes, that's the best pseudonym you've ever heard) to discuss her role working both with law enforcement and members of the community who interact with law enforcement. We attempt to cover a lot of different considerations regarding law enforcement and remedies, from a counseling psychology point of view. We also briefly talk about the worst icebreaker questions and moral injury. Music by: Kevin MacLeod and DJ DanceAlone

A heavy and important topic...  On episode 166, Paul Myskiw, brews up the following topic with Janel, Ryan & Billie: Religious Involvement Related to Suicide or Feelings About Suicide? What is the role of suicide prevention in the community? Suicide is not a popular topic that most people are anxious to read or talk about and this includes the position and response of all major religious groups. With the staggering numbers of those of have committed suicide or attempted suicide continues to rise it is more and more being seen as a public health crisis; one that is preventable with a role for Community to make a difference. *Paul Myskiw, Executive Director and founder of Hold On, is a native of Colorado. Paul has been married 28 years and has raised 7 children. He has a Master’s degree in Humanities and advanced graduate work in the field of Alternative Dispute Resolution and Psychology as well as Crisis Intervention Training. As a former counselor for adolescent and adult inpatient psychiatric hospitals Paul offers a unique perspective on adolescent development and behavior.National Suicide Hotline: 800-273-8255National Suicide Text Line: Text 'home' to 741741Suicide Prevention Resource Center: https://www.sprc.org/American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: https://afsp.org/National Association for Mental Health: https://www.nami.org/get-involved/awareness-events/suicide-prevention-awareness-monthSources of Strength: https://sourcesofstrength.org/tag/suicide-prevention-program/Mental Health First Aid: https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/

Noah's Schizophrenia: A Mother's Search for Truth by Kartar Diamond One unremarkable night, Kartar Diamond's remarkably talented 15-year old son walked into the living room and shouted, “every musician in L.A. is stealing my ideas!” and went back into his room. Minutes later he came back, belt in hand, and began whipping the couch and shouting with escalating paranoia. Little did his mother realize, their journey into hell had begun. As her son crumbles before her eyes, Diamond powers through the endless confusion and ineffectiveness of the modern mental health care system and demands not only a diagnosis but a way to treat her son and help him live the fullest expression of his life possible. The mental health “system” – emergency rooms, police, counselors, psychiatrists, hospitals, nurses, clinics, mental health administrators and homeless shelters - keep spitting him back out on the streets of Skid Row where predators take his meager belongings, cell phones and money. Street drugs are his only relief. The cycle goes on and on, spiraling downward toward one of two conclusions: death or the slimmest of chances of finding safety. Diamond's clear-eyed story-telling brings wisdom and insider information on how to navigate the murky waters of public mental healthcare and its legal ramifications. She takes us through the horror of endless encounters with angry police officers and the deep frustration of unreturned phone calls from doctors and administrators. She refuses to accept there is no place for her son. In addition to running a business, she tracks him through the streets, demanding he be given a bed where he needs to be. She does this for years. A chance encounter with a retired mental healthcare administrator opens a path forward. Noah is put in a series of locked wards, ensuring he will not hit the streets again. His medications are stabilized and the street drugs withheld. Kartar joins other families of schizophrenics in a new model of healthcare: A boarding school and hospital designed for them and paid for by their families. She gains conservatorship over her son's care and, for the first time in years, he shows progress, even playing guitar for other patients. Noah is returning; he's coming back to life. Kartar Diamond has a long-established career as a classically trained Feng Sui consultant, author, and educator. She has worked with thousands of clients and students in the area of Chinese metaphysics as well as having a background in yoga practices and meditation. Based in Southern California, Kartar volunteers as a family member presenter for law enforcement's Crisis Intervention Training programs, designed to give police and sheriffs tools they need to better serve the mentally ill. She has also been a member of her local NAMI group and intends to use this book as a national advocacy tool to better the lives of those living with schizophrenia. She may be contacted through www.noahsschizophrenia.com

Noah’s Schizophrenia: A Mother’s Search for Truth by Kartar Diamond One unremarkable night, Kartar Diamond’s remarkably talented 15-year old son walked into the living room and shouted, “every musician in L.A. is stealing my ideas!” and went back into his room. Minutes later he came back, belt in hand, and began whipping the couch and shouting with escalating paranoia. Little did his mother realize, their journey into hell had begun. As her son crumbles before her eyes, Diamond powers through the endless confusion and ineffectiveness of the modern mental health care system and demands not only a diagnosis but a way to treat her son and help him live the fullest expression of his life possible. The mental health “system” – emergency rooms, police, counselors, psychiatrists, hospitals, nurses, clinics, mental health administrators and homeless shelters - keep spitting him back out on the streets of Skid Row where predators take his meager belongings, cell phones and money. Street drugs are his only relief. The cycle goes on and on, spiraling downward toward one of two conclusions: death or the slimmest of chances of finding safety. Diamond’s clear-eyed story-telling brings wisdom and insider information on how to navigate the murky waters of public mental healthcare and its legal ramifications. She takes us through the horror of endless encounters with angry police officers and the deep frustration of unreturned phone calls from doctors and administrators. She refuses to accept there is no place for her son. In addition to running a business, she tracks him through the streets, demanding he be given a bed where he needs to be. She does this for years. A chance encounter with a retired mental healthcare administrator opens a path forward. Noah is put in a series of locked wards, ensuring he will not hit the streets again. His medications are stabilized and the street drugs withheld. Kartar joins other families of schizophrenics in a new model of healthcare: A boarding school and hospital designed for them and paid for by their families. She gains conservatorship over her son’s care and, for the first time in years, he shows progress, even playing guitar for other patients. Noah is returning; he’s coming back to life. Kartar Diamond has a long-established career as a classically trained Feng Sui consultant, author, and educator. She has worked with thousands of clients and students in the area of Chinese metaphysics as well as having a background in yoga practices and meditation. Based in Southern California, Kartar volunteers as a family member presenter for law enforcement’s Crisis Intervention Training programs, designed to give police and sheriffs tools they need to better serve the mentally ill. She has also been a member of her local NAMI group and intends to use this book as a national advocacy tool to better the lives of those living with schizophrenia. She may be contacted through www.noahsschizophrenia.com

A heavy and important topic...  On episode 165, Paul Myskiw, brews up the following topic with Janel, Ryan & Billie: Religious Involvement Related to Suicide or Feelings About Suicide? What is the role of suicide prevention in the community?Suicide is not a popular topic that most people are anxious to read or talk about and this includes the position and response of all major religious groups. With the staggering numbers of those of have committed suicide or attempted suicide continues to rise it is more and more being seen as a public health crisis; one that is preventable with a role for Community to make a difference.*Paul Myskiw, Executive Director and founder of Hold On, is a native of Colorado. Paul has been married 28 years and has raised 7 children. He has a Master’s degree in Humanities and advanced graduate work in the field of Alternative Dispute Resolution and Psychology as well as Crisis Intervention Training. As a former counselor for adolescent and adult inpatient psychiatric hospitals Paul offers a unique perspective on adolescent development and behavior.

**WARNING SENSITIVE SUBJECT MATTER DISCUSSED** Today I am interviewing Joe Smarro who helped lead the San Antonio Police Department’s mental health unit and crisis intervention training. Because of this team more than 100,000 people have been diverted away from jail or emergency rooms. Thanks to the work of the San Antonio Police Department’s mental health detail and its Crisis Intervention Training program the need to use force has been reduced  and instead has helped to connect people with the mental health services they need.   He and his partner Ernie were featured in a HBO documentary called: Crisis Cops which “is an intimate portrait of two Texas police officers who are helping change the way police respond to mental health calls. The film takes audiences on a personal journey, weaving together their experiences during their daily encounters with people in crisis. These two officers are not your everyday cops.”   We talk about our current police culture, how it can be improved, and why he is so passionate about helping other police departments adopt methods to deal with the mentally ill, so much so, that he went full time with his business Solution Point Plus to train others.   Joe talks about the weapons of empathy and listening, and how he  can truly relate to those he comes in contact with in the field because of his own story of trauma, mental illness, and healing.    Joe’s story is impactful and he will challenge us to look at things a bit differently. He will inspire us to really “see” people and give us hope for the future.    Connect with Joe: Instagram: joesmarro   Website: www.solutionpointplus.com   Watch the HBO documentary: Crisis Cops    Sponsor for this podcast episode:  Crossfit Misfits http://www.cfmisfits.com/ Our coaches and participants are welcoming, supportive, and committed to creating an environment where everyone can succeed.

On this episode we talk about the training HPD officers go through to deal with persons in crisis. Special Guests Ebony Rao and Johanna Covault, from the Mecklenburg County Crisis Intervention Training Program. 

Ernie Stevens joins us for talk on Crisis Intervention Training and the future of police work. Check out his HBO special Ernie & Joe:Crisis Cops. Roll Call Room Podcast is available on the following platforms: www.rollcallroom.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/therollcallroompodcast/?modal=admin_todo_tour Twitter: @rollcallroom Instagram: @rollcallroompodcast Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Rollcallroom00?fan_landing=true iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/roll-call-room/id1485182773 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7u96KLcynNLSOgaoOyxj1A?si=P9mTxw-YSCKhGa39ww3ByA Iheartradio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-roll-call-room-53147753/ Pandora: https://pandora.app.link/zcO82M3A66 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/therollcallroom/message

Tune in as I chat with Erica Austin, founder of StrongHer. StrongHer is a trauma-informed functional fitness program for survivors of domestic violence. She has advocated for the safety of women and children for ten years and has testified in front of the Child and Family Law Committee as well as participated in testimony in front of the Senate that made changes to NH RSA 461:A. The law provides better protection for children and protective parents during cases of suspected abuse. In 2019, Erica was interviewed by the Associated Press regarding the success of specific NH programs that benefit domestic violence survivors. Erica saw a need to offer a safe environment for survivors of trauma and abuse to physically process the traumatic events that they experienced as a way to heal. Erica is a fitness coach specializing in women, trauma and pregnancy and postpartum. She holds a Bachelors Degree from Rivier University and has participated in 30 hours of Crisis Intervention Training through Bridges Domestic and Sexual Violence Support. She is a Level One CrossFit Trainer and a certified BirthFit Coach as well as a personal trainer.   Listen to all of the amazing things she is doing to help support women and be a beacon on their healing journey in our podcast episode!   

Jeff Campbell, Captain with the Eaton County Sheriff’s Office in Lansing, MI, joins us to chat about the positive impact on his law enforcement team by their use of Crisis Intervention Training coupled with Vistelar’s verbal de-escalation techniques. Campbell shares specific instances where an officer’s training in mental health awareness helped lead a situation to a positive outcome. Can this training also effect the public’s view of law enforcement’s role in their community? Host: Al Oelschlaeger Guest: Jeff Campbell For more information on creating a safe working environment visit vistelar.com

Jeff Campbell, Captain with the Eaton County Sheriff's Office in Lansing, MI, joins us to chat about the positive impact on his law enforcement team by their use of Crisis Intervention Training coupled with Vistelar's verbal de-escalation techniques. Campbell shares specific instances where an officer's training in mental health awareness helped lead a situation to a positive outcome. Can this training also effect the public's view of law enforcement's role in their community? Host: Al Oelschlaeger Guest: Jeff Campbell For more information on creating a safe working environment visit vistelar.com

Standout Quotes From This EpisodeWe can honor the dignity, self-determination, and support the empowerment of people who are experiencing homelessness. It is not the job of anyone to go out and fix people. If we think we can fix someone it means we are starting with the belief they are broken. Get in the habit of recognizing the difference between fear and danger or comfort and safety. Uncomfortable and socially unacceptable behaviors we may experience are off-putting but not a direct threat when listening to people on the street.  When he was a teen, Julian Plumadore was living on the streets of Seattle, Washington.  His lived experience as a trans teen, experiencing homelessness, and his own twenty-year work sustaining his own mental health have created a beautiful and loving conviction to do right by people struggling with homelessness and mental health crisis.  In this interview, you will learn and be inspired to take up the work of humanizing homelessness.Police and Crisis Intervention in San FranciscoNow a trainer for MentalHealthSF.org who offers Crisis Intervention Training to newer San Francisco Police Officers and the general public, Julian has seen first-hand the impact of changing the way we think about homelessness and mental health.  People who were previously wary of police, now feel supported. If you are going to call the San Francisco Police Department for help with someone who is struggling on the street ask the following…     We need help with a mental health crisis     We need a Crisis Intervention Trained officer Do You Have Any of These Stigmas About Being Homeless?Julian and I talked about the wrong stigmas that we hold about people who are experiencing homelessness.  That they are lazy, choosing this lifestyle, and somehow deserve living this way. All of which are not true and Julian's own story helps us see the larger truth. The research I quoted about our brain’s predisposition to fully not recognize as human people struggling with addiction and those experiencing homelessness can be found here.To make a difference in the life of someone homeless, humanize them, was the big take away. But there are things we need to get straight so we can humanize rather than objectify.We are not the experts on what they need and what they feel.We have to earn trust.  Just because our intentions are good we may still be met with hostility.We have to have inner resilience so we can accompany someone struggling even if that means they hate what we represent in their minds.We have to let go of our need to be “the good person” “saving this person” and instead have real humility.  Otherwise, our service is to help us feel like a good person rather than truly being of service.There is a real difference between our own conditioned fear and genuine danger. We have to lean into discomfort to serve folks who are on the street.There is very real hope for growth beyond mental illness and homelessness but we, as a community, may not see the impact of our service to this group of people.  Keep going.These are just a few of the wisdom points Julian offers but listen to the interview.  You will be so overjoyed to hear Julian's story and be infused by possibility and you will come away hopeful that there are people like Julian in the world doing this work.You can learn more about Julian’s work at mentalhealthsf.org and if there are other organizations in your part of the world that you think deserve a shout out, we would like to know about them.  Post a comment with a link to their work below.

In this episode, we are joined by Sarah Bonk, Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) Coordinator at Crisis Services. CIT is a nationwide effort to train law enforcement on de-escalating emotional and mental health crises in the community. Listen in to learn more about this trauma informed approach and how our police departments are working with experts in the field to better serve our community! Community Services for Every1 is a proud partner with Crisis Services in Crisis Intervention Training. Our agency provides expertise on the intellectual and developmental disabilities community and works to prepare law enforcement when responding to calls for people of all abilities. ***** Community Services: On-Air is a series of open conversations about overall health and wellness as it relates to people of all abilities in various communities. Co-Hosts Stephanie McGrath and Kelly Kinderman discuss the issues many communities face today with experts in the health and human services field. These episodes are packed with factual and relatable information. Join them weekly to learn more about self-care, wellness in the work place, living with a disability, and so much more! Community Services: On-Air dives deep into the realities of working at a nonprofit and trying to help people of all abilities achieve success. We value communities that are inclusive, integrated and responsive. Let us know what you think!

Nils Rosenbaum MD talks about self-harming and looks at it as it related to non-suicidal injuries. If you would like to join the CIT ECHO please email Jennifer Earheart or check it out online here. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook or Twitter.If you are enjoying these episodes that means someone else might as well so please share them with others and let us know you are enjoying them, leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Contact UsDon’t forget to contact us to be on the podcast at Ask@goCIT.org or call us at 505-333-8128.Music used in this episode is the song Cheese by David Szesztay from the Free Music Archive.Support the show (https://www.paypal.com/donate/?token=4Z-T3A1LPSUP3tcGbzXY9LF4511KMzsngJOcoo1ZS1K07sQo0oqdDjX0_3uPa9FD7kb8K0&country.x=US&locale.x=US)

Episode # 85 Date: May 1, 2019 Host: Alpha Mike Alpha welcome’s the audience and as always, a reminder on #TestEverything1521every week on A-Wall Monday. Alpha talks (spoil alert) about the movie "Marvel's The Avengers #Endgame" is a 2019 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics superhero team the Avengers, produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. Don't miss the movie alert..  Leadership Quote for the week: "Men make history and not the other way around. In periods where there is no leadership, society stands still. Progress occurs when courageous, skillful leaders seize the opportunity to change things for the better".Harry S Truman Host Alpha Mike takes the audience in the crazy world of Crisis Intervention Training (CIT).  By the numbers for the episode: Alpha goes over the list of ten episodes for CIT are coming in the future. Outline: 1A. Learning Environment & Goals 2B. Instruction & Pre-Test 3C.  Target Audience 4D. Evaluation Technique "Readiness Drills" 5E. History 6F. Signs & Symptoms 6Fa. Role of the Officer The Command of any agency creating a CIT program, must buy in and take part in the CIT process. @RaiderCopNation @alphamike2017 #RaiderCopNation #AmericasFew @o9TacticalG www.o9tg.com @TestEvery1521 Test Everything 5 minutes on the Power of God  Facebook  Twitter iTunes  Spotify   Stitcher  Google Play  PodBean  YouTube TuneIn Join the Raider-Cop NATION Pistol Pete the Gunsmith  Kilo Sierra’s companies: Sepulveda inc #EmpanadaLadiesOfGeorgia #JailsLASD #CACorrections #MDCR ##NYPD #LAPD #LASD #MDPD #MPD #NYSP #NJSP #LVPD #Security #HCSO #PBSO #BSO #OCSO #PCSO #SFPD #DPD #HPD #SAPD #LCSO #FMPD #CCSO #TestEverything1521 @RaiderCopNation #RaiderCopNation

Crisis Intervention Training (CIT)  Episode # 84 Date: April 24, 2019 Host: Alpha Mike Alpha welcome’s the audience and as always, a reminder on #TestEverything1521every week on A-Wall Monday. Leadership Quote for the week: “An organization’s ability to learn, and translate that learning into action rapidly, is the ultimate competitive advantage.”– Jack Welch, former CEO of General Electric Host Alpha Mike takes the audience in the crazy world of Crisis Intervention Training (CIT).  By the numbers for the episode: 356,000 mentally ill inmates in Americas Jails and Prisons. (TAC) Two millions mentally ill booked yearly. (NAMI) 83% of mentally ill inmates have no access to treatment? (NAMI) 26% have serious mental illness (BJS) 10% jail, 14% prison, met serious psychological disorder after 30days (BJS) 1946 The U.S. Gov't created the National Institution of Mental Health under the U.S. Dept of Health & Human Service In 1959 approx: 559,000 mentally ill housed in State Mental Hospital's (NIC) 1970's Deinstitutionalize with the incentive of SSI or Social Security Disability On June 26, 1975 The Supreme Court ruled in O'Connor Vs. Donaldson, State can not confine non-dangerous mentally ill to State Institutions. Alpha goes over the list of ten episodes for CIT are coming in the future. @RaiderCopNation @alphamike2017 #RaiderCopNation #AmericasFew @o9TacticalG www.o9tg.com @TestEvery1521 Test Everything 5 minutes on the Power of God  Facebook  Twitter iTunes  Spotify   Stitcher  Google Play  PodBean  YouTube TuneIn Join the Raider-Cop NATION Pistol Pete the Gunsmith  Kilo Sierra’s companies: Sepulveda inc #EmpanadaLadiesOfGeorgia #JailsLASD #CACorrections #MDCR #NYPD #LAPD #LASD #MDPD #MPD #NYSP #NJSP #LVPD #Security #HCSO #PBSO #BSO #OCSO #PCSO #SFPD #DPD #HPD #SAPD #LCSO #FMPD #CCSO #TestEverything1521 @RaiderCopNation #RaiderCopNation  

CIT ECHO Session on Notion of EmotionDetective Matt Tinney talks about emotions and how we create new ones. How do you build rapport if we are not sure what emotions someone feels? Some take aways· Emotions are experienced differently by everyone· Lots of factors influence our feelings and how we display them· Names for emotions will change· How we interpret emotions evolve· Do not seek a snake or bear to feel these emotions This was a presentation done on 3/27/2018 and you can see more here. If you would like to join the CIT ECHOplease email Jennifer Earheart or check it out online here. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook or Twitter.Support the show (https://www.paypal.com/donate/?token=4Z-T3A1LPSUP3tcGbzXY9LF4511KMzsngJOcoo1ZS1K07sQo0oqdDjX0_3uPa9FD7kb8K0&country.x=US&locale.x=US)

Is there a difference between Crisis Intervention Training vs. Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training? Matt Tinney and Ben Melendrez discuss training around crisis intervention. What do you use in your program or training? How do you view your training? Is your training part of an overall program or is your training a stand-alone training? Remember a true CIT program is more than training. A big component is looking for resources to be part of the team and to help those in crisis. Training may be a critical part of your CIT program but it should not be the main part. Include your community experts in developing your training. What is your favorite shift for work and training? Ben and Matt both talk about 10-hour shifts and if your training should reflect the work schedule of the students. Should you put on classes that are 10-hour days if your students are working 10-hour days? Do you currently provide training for all shift and hours? Officers make bad audience to outside presenters. Prepare your outside presenters on what to expect when training law enforcement. You may need to work on your common language to not lose your audience. Officers as students sometimes appear distant as students but they are paying attention. How do you check your presenters for bias towards law enforcement? Check in with presenters beforehand. Get to know them and what their agendas may be. Look over their presentation and curriculum to see what the objects are and discuss what will work with law enforcement vs. what will alienate them. Should students have laptops and phones out during class? Ben speaks about why students should be allowed with their electronics. This generation is used to electronics and in college settings most students have laptops open. Officers are used to having to work on their computer while listening to the radio and another outside stimulus. How to check if you should take a specific class or if it is a good class. Ask for the curriculum Ask to see the latest reviews Ask others who have taken the class if they like it Nancy Martin MD then presents “ “That can’t be real... or is it?!?” A guide to delusions, hallucinations, and illusions “ on the CIT ECHO. This is a recording from the meeting on 10/31/2017. Music used in this episode is the song Other Side by Lame Drivers from the Free Music Archive. This was presented to the CIT ECHO, if you are in public safety and would like to join for free online training and ability to staff cases with psychiatrist please check it out here or email Jenn Earheart. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook! If you are enjoying these episodes that means someone else might as well soSupport the show (https://www.paypal.com/donate/?token=4Z-T3A1LPSUP3tcGbzXY9LF4511KMzsngJOcoo1ZS1K07sQo0oqdDjX0_3uPa9FD7kb8K0&country.x=US&locale.x=US)

Should your program conduct training for outside agencies? Detectives Matt Tinney and Ben Melendrez start off this episode discussing the above question. Don’t forget to send yours to Ask@goCIT.org. Are you looking for CIT training material? Check out our site here for more. Mary Baca, CWK, CCTP, LPCC then presents “The Key to Effective Coping Mechanisms”on the CIT ECHO. This is a recording from the meeting on 5/30/2017. Music used in this episode is the song Sorry by Comfort Fit from the Free Music Archive. This was presented to the CIT ECHO, if you are in public safety and would like to join for free online training and ability to staff cases with psychiatrist please check it out here or email Jenn Earheart. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook! If you are enjoying these episodes that means someone else might as well so please share them with others and let us know you are enjoying them, leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Don’t forget you can send in your questions for us to answer on the show to Ask@goCIT.org.Support the show (https://www.paypal.com/donate/?token=4Z-T3A1LPSUP3tcGbzXY9LF4511KMzsngJOcoo1ZS1K07sQo0oqdDjX0_3uPa9FD7kb8K0&country.x=US&locale.x=US)

Matt Tinney talks about collaborating with people who have lived experience in your training. This can help reduce stigma, build trust, and encourage empathy. This gives your students another point of view to consider. What a great way to continue community oriented policing too! Check out this page for more on why to use peers. Music used in this episode is the song Frozen Egg by Lame Drivers from the Free Music Archive. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook! If you’re enjoying the show, it’s safe to assume there are others out there like you who would also enjoy the show. Help them find it by sharing the show and leaving a rating oniTunes. Not only will those people like your review but it helps motivate us to continue the show. Don’t forget you can send in your questions for us to answer on the show to Ask@goCIT.org.Support the show (https://www.paypal.com/donate/?token=4Z-T3A1LPSUP3tcGbzXY9LF4511KMzsngJOcoo1ZS1K07sQo0oqdDjX0_3uPa9FD7kb8K0&country.x=US&locale.x=US)

Stephen Eide joins City Journal associate editor Seth Barron to discuss the New York Police Department's "crisis intervention team" (CIT), which trains police officers to respond to situations involving people with serious mental illnesses. In 2016, NYPD officers responded to more than 400 calls a day concerning "emotionally disturbed persons," some of whom are suffering major psychiatric episodes. Officers receiving CIT training are better prepared to de-escalate these encounters. CIT training has become a priority for big-city police departments, but as Eide notes, even the best-trained force can't compensate for declining mental health services. Stephen Eide is a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute and an expert on public administration and urban policy. His story "CIT and Its Limits" (coauthored with Carolyn Gorman) appears in the Summer 2017 issue of City Journal.

This is two recording from the CIT Knowledge Network from Detective Matt Tinney on CIT programs. If you would like to attend these knowledge network session online please contact Jenn Earhart (jearheart@cabq.gov) for more. www.goCIT.orgSupport the show (https://www.paypal.com/donate/?token=4Z-T3A1LPSUP3tcGbzXY9LF4511KMzsngJOcoo1ZS1K07sQo0oqdDjX0_3uPa9FD7kb8K0&country.x=US&locale.x=US)

Vivian Henry Here's another personal story of hope to help celebrate NAMI Minnesota's 40th anniversary. Vivian Henry is a NAMI "In Our Own Voice" volunteer presenter and a long-time NAMI member and supporter. Vivian enjoys photographing all of NAMI Minnesota's events and producing photo/video slide shows. Vivian is team captain of NAMIWalks 2018 team "SurVIVin the Journey!" (click for team info) You may donate to her team and/or register to join her team (you can help fund-raise even if you can't attend the walk!) at 1 of 2 links: 1. NAMIWalks-MN 9/24/17:Team Captain Viv Henry http://www.namiwalks.org/participant/VivHenry 2. Team “SurVIVin The Journey” http://www.namiwalks.org/team/SurvivinTheJourney 2012 National NAMI's "You Are Not Alone"  (click)campaign video submission via NAMI "You Are Not Alone In This Fight" campaign(2012): Vivian's Story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixEhpfBYAdw&feature=youtu.be Thank you Vivian for sharing your story with us! CONTACT US: NAMI Minnesota, www.namihelps.org, phone: 651-645-2948, toll free: 1-888-NAMI-Helps (1-888-626-4435). fax: 651-645-7379. email: namihelps@namimn.org Recorded 05/22/2017. **********  **********  ********** From Vivian...Vivian Henry's personal bio: Bio info: I'm a "small-town girl" from Xenia,OH. I survived the 1974 Xenia (F5) Tornado! My grandparents had 12 kids, and later raised me as my legal guardians. My mother Josephine battled severe BiPolar Disorder along w/other Mental Health Challenges! My Grandma Vivian was a musical prodigy! She could play piano + organ by ear! Got my love of music from her! My Grandpa James, was the 1st Black City Commissioner of Xenia, OH, and the 1st Black Mayor! My activism + humor come from him! After graduating college in 1993, I moved to MN to each elementary school. Lasted approx 7 months before my 1st severe depressive episode ended teaching career. My main work experience has been in the customer service industry, including almost 13 years as a part-time professional mobile Disc Jockey! As of 2015, I have not worked for 2 years. This is due to many of my pre-existing conditions, including Major Depression, Anxiety, Borderline Personality Disorder + recently diagnosed Attention Deficit Disorder. I'm in the midst of battling for Social Security Disability...again! Volunteered w/NAMI-MN since 2008, when I took part in my first NAMIWalks-MN! I became an "In Our Own Voice" speaker in 2014. I've done many IOOV presentations for Crisis Intervention Training, and I like working with law enforcement! Also, I'm like the unofficial amateur photographer for NAMI-MN! Love photography (massive "shutterbug"), crafts + scrapbooking, music, movies, cats, etc. Also, after I had to put my 19yr old cat to sleep on 10/10/10, I became a foster cat mom. This is how I came to adopt my amazing furbaby cat MacTavish! Unfortunately, I had to have him euthanized in November 2016. Fortunately, I do have a new cat named Precious,who is 12 years old! Love her, and no cat will ever be able to take the place of MacTavish. Finally, I've been a diehard JOURNEY fan for approximately 34 years! Have seen them in concert approximately 17x! Even flew to California in 2005, to see them receive their Hollywook Walk of Fame Star! Have had the blessings + miracles of meeting all of classic Journey (Neal Schon, Steve Perry, Steve Smith, Ross Valory + Jonathan Cain), and also Steve Augeri, Deen Castronovo, Jeff Scott Soto, and Arnel Pineda! I do believe these Journey blessings/miracles help counterbalance (a bit) my continued battles w/Mental Health Challenges! IF I won the lottery, I would become a permanent Journey concert goer, as their music brings that much joy + happiness into my life! Don't Stop Believin'! 1. YouTube Channel: luvjrny4ever 2012 National NAMI's "You Are Not Alone" campaign video submission via NAMI "You Are Not Alone In This Fight" campaign(2012): Vivian's Story.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?

Matt Tinney and Jenn Earheart discuss community policing. What is being done with that in mind and what is lacking in communities? As always the two drift off into other topics and rants. Stay tuned for a lecture from the CIT Knowledge Network on Community Collaboration. If you would like to attend these knowledge network session online please contact Jenn Earhart (jearheart@cabq.gov) for more. Have a question for us send it to Ask@goCIT.orgSupport the show (https://www.paypal.com/donate/?token=4Z-T3A1LPSUP3tcGbzXY9LF4511KMzsngJOcoo1ZS1K07sQo0oqdDjX0_3uPa9FD7kb8K0&country.x=US&locale.x=US)

Jenn and Matt talk about the stigmas associated with behavioral health and suicide. Matt's mission is to get Demi Lovato on the podcast now! Also check out a talk from the CIT Knowledge Network from Sgt. John Gonzales with the Albuquerque Police Department who goes over their Crisis Intervention Section. If you would like to attend these knowledge network session online please contact Jenn Earhart (jearheart@cabq.gov) for more. Have a question for us send it to Ask@goCIT.orgSupport the show (https://www.paypal.com/donate/?token=4Z-T3A1LPSUP3tcGbzXY9LF4511KMzsngJOcoo1ZS1K07sQo0oqdDjX0_3uPa9FD7kb8K0&country.x=US&locale.x=US)

Denver Police Community Relations specialist Christine Downs discusses the importance of CIT training with Sgts. Culverhouse and Kolts.

In this first episode of our series on podcasting, Jason Hartman hears founder of Palladium Education, Inc, Alex Haddox's story of how he began podcasting to enhance his business. One of Alex's favorite things to do was radio shows and was in public relations for many years. He began marketing his seminars through podcasts and building his brand. Alex currently has over 200 podcasts. He explains how he tracked downloads, noting that it takes a while to build up a listening audience. He learned how to engage the audience and to fulfill their desire for more episodes. He came up with the idea of doing a Quick Tip every other episode. As he posted these podcasts, his listening audience increased six-fold. He encourages consistency and diligence, explaining that having a passion for it, for the content, is very important for success. Alex calls podcasting a “long game.” He has his own equipment, does his own editing and uploading, and has low overhead costs. By joining a podcasting network, Alex's audience doubled. He explains the benefits of the podcast network, i.e. the support and rapport that is built, leading to a close knit group of podcasters. All in all, Alex has experienced great success with his podcasts, having never spent money on advertising for his show, and managing the process himself. Alex Haddox's diverse background led him to founding Palladium Education, Inc., Workplace Violence Prevention and Crisis Intervention Training. Mr. Haddox spent nearly a decade working for Amgen, Inc., one of the world's largest multinational biotech firms, as a Senior Business Analyst and Senior eLearning Analyst. Among his many projects, he designed instructor-led and e-learning training modules for the Global Regulatory Affairs and Safety Education and Development department. Mr. Haddox was also the Product Manager and co-founder of the Symantec AntiVirus Research Center (SARC). He was considered one of the world's leading computer virus experts, traveled worldwide on speaking engagements, and appeared on national television programs including Good Morning America, CNBC, the Discovery Channel and Fox News Network. He has been quoted in innumerable print publications from The New York Times to USA Today and was on the Advisory Board to the industry's leading publication, “Virus Bulletin.” Mr. Haddox is a skilled martial artist and self-defense instructor. He has nearly two decades of combined traditional martial arts training in multiple styles including American Kenpo, Hapkido and Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. Mr. Haddox also holds firearms instructor credentials from the National Rifle Association.