Loudoun County, VA (January 26, 2024): The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) is proud to announce the graduation of twenty-one of its sworn and civilian members from the 57th Basic Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) program.
The CIT program aims to equip first responders and partner agencies with the necessary knowledge, skills, and strategies to compassionately and effectively respond to individuals experiencing acute emotional, psychological, or situational crises. The training aims to minimize harm, provide immediate support, and facilitate the path toward recovery, promoting the well-being and safety of the individual in crisis and the surrounding community. Crisis intervention training emphasizes de-escalation techniques, active listening, empathy, and culturally sensitive approaches to ensure that those in distress receive timely and appropriate assistance.
Loudoun’s CIT training program is a collaboration among the LCSO; Loudoun County Mental Health, Substance Abuse & Developmental Health Services (MHSADS), The Arc of Loudoun, Friends of Loudoun Mental Health; the National Alliance on Mental Illness – Northern Virginia; and the Loudoun County Commonwealth's Attorney's Office.
This class of graduates included representatives of the LCSO, graduates included representatives of Loudoun County Animal Services; Fort Belvoir Police Department; Leesburg Police Department; Loudoun County Fire Rescue Dispatch; Loudoun County Government Administration; and Mental Health, Substance Abuse & Developmental Services (MHSADS).
The week-long training program is taught by professionals from Loudoun MHSADS, certified CIT Sheriff’s Deputies, and other experts in the field. It includes a discussion of medical, social, psychological, and legal aspects associated with mental illness.
In 2019, the LCSO partnered with MHSADS and held the first-ever three-day advanced CIT training in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The LCSO was also Virginia's first law enforcement agency to conduct Advanced Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) for School Resource Officers. This advanced training focuses on residents with intellectual and developmental disabilities, especially children.
