WESTCHESTER, NY — County Executive Robert P. Astorino, along with members of the Departments of Health, Community Mental Health and Public Safety, unveiled an enhanced Crisis Intervention Training program on Tuesday that was offered free of charge to police officers, firefighters, other first responders and educators in all municipalities across Westchester.
Astorino also provided an update on the county’s Ebola preparedness efforts.
The training is the latest addition to Astorino’s “Safer Communities” initiative, which was launched in 2013 as a collaborative response to address violence as a public health issue. Crisis Intervention Training teaches law enforcement, other first responders and educators the best methods for addressing and resolving emergency situations involving people suffering from mental illness or emotional distress.
Leaders from the law enforcement, fire service, emergency medical service, mental health and school communities were on hand to get an overview of the specialized training and the related mental health issues from Dr. Xavier Amador, a nationally prominent clinical psychologist, and Eric Weaver, a retired Rochester police sergeant who has created model CIT programs in western New York and beyond.