News Release
Contact
Laurie E. Bick-Jensen
Director,
Public Relations
320 DuPont Highway
New Castle, DE
19720
(302) 295-1164
laurie.e.bick@wilmu.edu
Wilmington University Hosts Delaware Department of Health and Social Services Crisis Intervention Team Training
Governor Markell, DHSS Secretary Rita Landgraf and dignitaries from the Delaware Supreme Court and Delaware State Police scheduled to speak.
The College of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Wilmington University, in conjunction with the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS), will host Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Training for law enforcement officers from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. from May 5 through May 9 in Room 212 at the University's Dover location.
DHSS Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health is offering this specialized 40-hour training to law enforcement officers because they are usually the first to respond to individuals experiencing a mental health crisis. Those experiencing such crises can become dangerous and act out in public areas, often putting officers, emergency responders and the public at risk. Law enforcement officers with patrol responsibilities are most often the first to respond to calls for help during these occurrences.
Governor Jack Markell will address the group with opening remarks at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, May 5. The Honorable Henry DuPont Ridgely, Justice of the Delaware State Supreme Court, and Colonel Nathaniel McQueen, Jr., superintendent of the Delaware State Police (DSP) will also speak following Governor Markell's comments.
Rita Landgraf, Secretary of the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services, will present opening remarks at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, May 6.
The focus of the training is to prepare each first responder trainee to de-escalate crisis situations in order to provide for the safety of other officers, the individuals involved and the community. Participants will learn to manage crises and will be provided with resources to help resolve such situations.
Upon completion of the week-long event, graduating trainees will receive certificates of training completion and a CIT lapel pin from designated command staff of the trainees' respective police departments.
For more information, contact Dr. Joseph P. Aviola at (302) 295-1165, or by email to joseph.p.aviola@wilmu.edu.
About Wilmington University
Wilmington University is a private, nonprofit university committed to providing flexible, career-oriented traditional and online undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degree programs and offering small class sizes, individualized attention and affordable tuition. For more information, contact Wilmington University at 302-356-INFO (4636), via email at infocenter@wilmu.edu or visit our web site at www.wilmu.edu.