Who:
Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office
Patrol Operation Bureau
-Crime Prevention and Community Awareness

National Alliance on Mental Illness, Pinellas County, Florida (NAMI)

Bernie McCabe, State Attorney, Sixth Judicial Circuit

35 Graduates From:
Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office
Largo Police Department
Pinellas Park Police Department
Clearwater Police Department
St. Petersburg Police Department
Veterans Administration (VA) Police
University of South Florida (USF), St. Petersburg Police Department
Gulfport Police Department
Indian Shores Police Department

What:
All is set for the graduation ceremony of the Pinellas County Crisis Intervention Team.

When:
The ceremony will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, October 31, 2014.

Where:
The ceremony will be held at Grace Christian Fellowship Church located at 901 Ridge Road South in Largo.

Why/How:
35 individuals representing nine Pinellas County agencies will graduate from the Pinellas County Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Program on Friday, October 31, 2014.

Bernie McCabe, State Attorney for the Sixth Judicial Circuit will deliver the keynote address.

This is the 15^th year since the establishment of CIT in Pinellas County.

In 1999, Pinellas County Mental Health/Substance Abuse Coalition conducted the first CIT course in Florida and has been instrumental in promoting the program throughout the state.

The Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Program is a specialized training and practice for first-responder law enforcement officers in how to properly and safely handle situations involving persons with mental illness. The cornerstone of CIT is a 40-hour course taught, free of charge, by mental health professionals, law enforcement officers, persons with a mental illness diagnosis and advocates.

The training includes essential information about mental illnesses and how to recognize it; information about the local mental health system and state laws; de-escalation skills; and, the opportunity to learn first-hand from consumers and family members about their experiences.

Media is invited to cover. For additional information contact the Sheriff’s Public Information Office at (727) 582-6221.