Heartland Crisis Intervention Team

A variety of programs have been established throughout Nebraska with the goal of enhancing law enforcement’s response toward individuals with mental illness.

In Omaha, a Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) model was developed and adopted as a cooperative community partnership involving law enforcement agencies, mental health service providers, mental health consumers, family members, and community funders.

Through participation in this program, CIT police officers learn to recognize common forms of mental illness and to utilize the most effective means of communicating with people undergoing crisis. The officers are trained to de-escalate the individuals in crisis and allow the consumer to participate in the decision-making regarding their treatment.

CIT officers must successfully complete 40 hours of training to become certified. Training is provided by consumers, family members, mental health providers, law enforcement, and county attorneys and involves not only classroom exercises but also panel presentations, site visits, and scenario based training. Participation on the CIT team is voluntary and officers must apply to be chosen.

Since March of 2006 participants from the Omaha Police Department, Douglas County Sheriff, County Corrections, 911 Dispatch, Boys Town Police Department, Papillion Police Department, Bellevue Police Department, and Plattsmouth Police Department have been trained and certified in the CIT model. Citizens in need of assistance can request that a CIT trained officer be dispatched when calling any of the departments listed above. CIT officers are easily identifiable to members of the mental health community as they wear a distinctive CIT pin on the right lapel of their uniform.

To learn more about the Heartland CIT program please contact chair, Sgt. Scott Lane with Douglas County Sheriff’s Office at scott.lane@douglascounty-ne.gov.

Additional information including toolkits, articles, and related links for those interested in building new or expanding upon existing CIT programs can be accessed through the NAMI CIT Technical Assistance Resource Center.