ALTON — A new Riverbend partnership seeks to deliver people today with mental wellness assistance rather than criminalize them.

Alton Police and OSF Saint Anthony’s Well being Center and the Alton Police Division have partnered for a new neighborhood wellness initiative to address mental wellness requirements all through Madison County.

“Our target is to effectively create, implement, and keep a accurate co-responder model inside the communities we serve,” mentioned Alton Police Chief Jarrett Ford. “This is not a one particular-time occurrence we program on holding quarterly CIT sessions so that we can constantly boost our information and capabilities.”

Final month 55 1st responders — police, fire, EMS —  along with wellness care pros and county government representatives participated in Crisis Intervention Instruction (CIT) geared toward people today responding to a mental wellness crisis scenario. The program’s ultimate target is to get people today the assistance they require rather than criminalize them.

“The CIT system is a accurate collaborative endeavor that brings neighborhood partnerships closer with each other to address a important neighborhood wellness require,” mentioned OSF Saint Anthony’s President Jerry Rumph. “Specifically, from a hospital point of view, CIT offers an chance for hospital employees and 1st responders to group up and operate cooperatively in treating people with mental wellness illnesses — as effectively as defend these people responding to mental illness crisis scenarios.”

A Madison County Mental Well being Board grant funds the system created to address the complicated mental wellness requirements of residents.

The CIT’s inaugural session final month also incorporated representatives from Alton Memorial Hospital, Gateway Regional Healthcare Center in Granite City, Alton Fire &amp Rescue, SIU College of Medicine and the Madison County Well being Board. The sessions have been facilitated by Dr. Tracey Smith, DNP, PHCNS-BC, MS, Director of Neighborhood Well being and Applications at Illinois Public Well being Association (IPHA), and Mark Benson, NCC, LCPC, CIT Regional Coordinator- Central and Southern Illinois Regional Coordinator, NSE Options, LLC.

Smith mentioned the added benefits of a CIT system contain lowering the likelihood of injuries to these responding to a mental wellness crisis scenario, enhancing neighborhood relationships, and decreasing the quantity of CIT calls in a neighborhood.

“CIT makes it possible for us to address technique-connected challenges and recognize what possibilities exist to strengthen and integrate behavioral wellness solutions,” mentioned Smith.

If you or an individual you know requirements mental wellness help, get in touch with 988.