Athens Area CIT Honored at State NAMI Conference

For much of a decade, NAMI Athens and several other entities have been involved in running and co-funding annual week-long Crisis Intervention Training programs designed to enable regional police officers to recognize folks in crisis with mental illnesses and take them for appropriate help rather than to jail. So far, 107 officers from over a dozen entities have received CIT training, many hundreds of "jail diversions" have taken place, and, almost certainly, lives have been saved. This May, at a State NAMI Conference in Columbus, the Ohio Department of Mental Health, NAMI Ohio and the Criminal Justice Coordinating Center of Excellence named Athens' Crisis Intervention the "CIT Program of the Year" for its innovative work in such training. "This award", said Jim Mauro, Executive Director of NAMI Ohio, "is our way of publicly acknowledging the Athens Area CIT Program for their efforts to build and sustain a successful CIT program that profoundly impacts individuals in mental health crisis, as well as their loved ones and the members of the Athens community."

Chief Deputy David Malawista, Athens Sheriff's Department, receives the award.
L to R: Lt Michael Woody (Toledo PD), Harvey Snider (NAMI Ohio President),
David Malawista, and James Mauro (NAMI Ohio CEO)

For further information call the NAMI office at 740-593-7424.