Three years of Crisis Intervention Team Assessment Center

Northwestern Crisis Intervention Team Assessment Center or CITAC, is celebrating three years of collaboration between the Community Services Board, Local Law Enforcement Agencies, and Valley Health. This collaboration with local Law Enforcement Agencies in our catchment area, began as state and local agencies listened to the needs of the communities and rose to fill a need for those experiencing a Mental Health Crisis. Woodstock Police Chief Chris Baker stated, “With the implementation of CITAC, our community members who suffer from mental illness have been afforded a higher level of care that is immediate and designed to meet them where they are.”

CITAC aims to streamline the process of involuntary detention and preadmission screening in a number of ways to reduce burden on the client, law enforcement, the hospital Emergency Department, and CSB personnel. CITAC provides a client centered environment while facilitating transfer of custody in order to allow local law enforcement to return to duties in the community.

CITAC is staffed by Northwestern Community Services Board as well as area or local Law Enforcement Agencies in the area. Law Enforcement Officers who sign up for shifts at CITAC must be trained through the Crisis Team Intervention Program. This 40-hour training is a collaboration of twenty-one Law Enforcement Agencies, Mental Health Advocacy groups, and Non-Profit Community Service Organizations.

For more information regarding CIT Training, reach out to Donna Trillio at 540-536-2422 or via email at dtrillio@nwcsb.com.

You can also find more information about Virginia’s CIT Programs at: https://virginiacit.org.