Jennings County Sheriff's Dept putting emphasis on mental health response

(NORTH VERNON, Ind.) – The Jennings County Sheriff’s Department has a new approach when it comes to responding to mental health emergencies. 

The agency has launched a Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) that is comprised of deputies who have received advanced training on how to handle mental health crises. 

It’s an effort by the sheriff’s department to help individuals who are suffering through specialized responses. 

“By combining professional training with compassion, our CIT Officers help ensure that individuals experiencing crises are treated with dignity and connected to the support they need,” stated the department. 

Their initial goal is to have at least one CIT officer on every shift while hoping to eventually have every deputy trained. 

The CIT-trained deputies are able to recognize signs of mental illness, while knowing advanced de-escalation techniques, effective communication, suicide prevention and will collaborate with local mental health providers. 

“We are committed to strengthening public safety and community well-being—one call at a time,” the agency said. 

RELATED: The Decatur County Sheriff’s Department launched a CIT team earlier this year. Read about the program by clicking here.