Over the years, the curriculum for the 40-hour Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training in Virginia has evolved to better serve law enforcement officers, mental health professionals, and individuals in crisis. Technology has been incorporated into classrooms. For example, allowing officers to experience auditory hallucinations to better understand the mental state of those they encounter. Officers also now have the opportunity to visit mental health facilities where patients receive necessary treatment on day two of the training. Allowing the curriculum to improve in its effectiveness and relevance is critical to serving communities well and ensuring optimally trained officers. When considering all the changes over the years one of the most exciting developments, however, is the addition of a block of instruction focused on officer wellness.
But you might be wondering, “Isn’t CIT about improving outcomes for individuals in crisis and communication skills?” So, how does officer wellness fit into a 40-hour training that is designed to teach officers how to best communicate with people in crisis?
Great question! The 40-hour CIT curriculum provides a supportive foundation for introducing officers to the concept of wellness. As officers learn about common mental illnesses and psychotropic medications prescribed to individuals experiencing long-term symptoms, they also develop a deeper understanding of empathy—an essential skill when interacting with those in crisis. This increased awareness of mental health challenges, combined with the hands-on training in crisis response, naturally opens the door for discussions about officer wellness. The class environment fosters a space where officers can reflect on their own mental and emotional well-being, recognizing that maintaining their health is just as important as providing solution-focused outcomes.
Historically, law enforcement has been a profession that embraced a “man-up” mentality as the best way to cope with the traumatic incidents officers face daily. This mentality often led to unhealthy coping mechanisms, including alcohol abuse, which ultimately disconnected officers from themselves and their loved ones. Thankfully, times are changing. The shift toward officer wellness is well underway, and CIT is at the forefront of introducing strategies that promote stress management, resiliency, and overall wellness.
Barriers to Officer Wellness
Research has shown that many officers do not seek mental health treatment due to several key factors:
- A lack of trust in the mental health system or mental health providers – Officers may be hesitant to seek help because they feel that mental health professionals may not understand the nature of their work or the unique stressors they face on the job.
- The self-talk that says they are broken – Officers often internalize the belief that seeking help is a sign of weakness or that their mental health struggles mean they are somehow “broken” and incapable of doing their jobs effectively.
- A lack of self-awareness regarding their own mental health – Many officers fail to recognize the signs of mental health challenges in themselves, such as stress, PTSD, or depression. This is often because their struggles don’t appear the same as the mental health issues they observe in the field. Without this awareness, it becomes difficult to seek help when needed.
- A lack of cultural competency by the clinician – If clinicians don’t understand the unique pressures and challenges law enforcement officers face, officers may feel misunderstood or judged. This lack of cultural competency can discourage them from seeking treatment.
CIT creates an important opportunity for conversations around mental health, resources, and the importance of de-stigmatizing the need for help. The training challenges preconceived ideas about what it looks like to need mental health support. By addressing these barriers in CIT training, we can create a more supportive environment for officers, one that emphasizes the importance of mental health and wellness as part of their daily responsibilities. CIT training has the potential to create a culture where officers feel empowered to seek help and support their peers in doing the same – a powerful and critical benefit of the training.