(The following is a press release from the Ozark County Sheriff’s Office.)
Gainesville, MO. – The Ozark County Sheriff’s Office is proud to welcome those members of the Ozark County community and Sheriff’s Department who have completed the Basic 40-Hour Course of the Missouri Crisis Intervention training.
“I want to personally thank each of you who took the interest and initiative to dedicate your time to completing this Crisis Intervention Team course,” said Ozark County Sheriff Cass Martin. “You made the decision to dive deeper into material that can truly make a difference in the lives of the people we serve. I believe the knowledge, tools, and understanding you have gained through this course will help guide you as you navigate the difficult, unpredictable, and very real situations you will encounter throughout your careers.”
Training was hosted at the Ava Area Ambulance District training center in Ava, with presentations and classes on a variety of topics including but not limited to: deescalation, reducing stigma, first responder wellness, and mental health issues.
“Being able to help bring members of the community and first responders from across Southern Missouri is a benefit to help those in need,” said Chris Bryant, the Crisis Intervention Program Coordinator for the Ozark County Sheriff’s Office. “Watching people from the Sheriff’s Office and the public embrace this training and dedicating the time involved to the training shows the commitment of those who serve their communities.”
“Never underestimate the impact that patience, compassion, understanding, and simply taking the time to listen can have on someone experiencing a crisis. Sometimes the way we handle a single encounter can change the direction of a person’s life,” said Sheriff Martin.
Some of the new team members of C.I.T are from Ava Police, Children’s Division, West Plains Police, Missouri State Highway Patrol, and Ozark County Sheriff’s Department. Ozark County was represented by seven class attendees, (the largest number of participants from one county).
“I am proud of each of you for making this investment in yourselves, your agencies, and the communities you serve. I look forward to working closely with all of you as we continue strengthening Crisis Intervention throughout our communities,” said Sheriff Martin, “Congratulations on completing the CIT course. Stay safe, take care of one another, and always remember why we chose to serve.
The Ozark County Crisis Intervention Team would like to thank the Ava Ambulance District for hosting the training, in addition, to Ozarks Healthcare for helping to coordinate the speakers and presenters, the Douglas County Health Department who was kind enough to cover lunch for all of the attendees over the 5 weeks, and the departments and organizations who allowed their staff members to attend.
The Mid-South Council Region of the Missouri Crisis Intervention Team is made up of team members from Ozark, Wright, Texas, and Douglas Counties.
Chris Bryant
Crisis Intervention Program Coordinator
Ozark County Sheriff’s Office
