Committed to Compassionate Crisis Intervention

BHA Helps Train Police and Other First Responders

Police Officer Teurika Humphrey with the Kansas City Police Department (KCPD) tells the story well. Two police officers from Lee’s Summit traveled to Memphis to attend their first Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training in 2000. They thought it was a great idea, and by the next year, the KCPD had CIT training underway. They were the first in the five-state region. Now, it’s statewide and growing throughout the region.

CIT assists and trains first responders in how to handle a crisis involving individuals with varying mental health issues – from schizophrenia to intellectual disabilities.

In 2009, Teurika was a desk clerk when she went through the civilian class that taught them how to deal with the public when they came into the station. In 2012, she went into the police academy and encountered CIT training as a new officer.

Teurika knew she wanted to work in CIT training full-time. Her experience with a young relative diagnosed with schizophrenia was, in part, what fueled her passion for the work. So, when she found out there was an opening in the unit, she eagerly jumped in, went through multiple trainings to become an expert, and now not only teaches CIT but is in charge of all CIT training for the KCPD.

“The Chief (of Police) wants every recruit coming out of the academy to be trained in CIT. We give them the training they need before they hit the streets and put their skills into play,” Teurika says.

The KCPD’s CIT training is not just for law enforcement.

“We work with judges, mental health professionals, community behavioral health liaisons and local hospitals, as well as seasoned police officers and other first responders,” Teurika explains. “We train students from across the region, like Blue Springs, Grandview, Lone Jack, regional police academies. We teach people how to de-escalate crisis situations.”

Behavioral Health Allies (BHA) was already involved when Teurika became part of CIT.

“BHA provides role playing for our CIT trainings – they teach us how to deal with someone who is in a crisis,” Teurika explains.

Shawnda Hawkins was the first BHA employee who got involved with CIT. Shawnda joined BHA in 2008 and has 20 years of experience in working with developmentally disabled individuals. At BHA, Shawnda is the vice president of BHA’s Community Living Division, which provides supervised community-based living for individuals with developmental disabilities.

Shawnda’s goal is to ensure the individuals who live in BHA houses lead full, independent lives, and she has always been motivated by knowing individuals have the opportunity to live their best lives in the least restrictive settings possible. 

“That means becoming a part of the community around them,” Shawnda says.

Years ago, when Shawnda entered the field, most first responders, police officers, and members of the public did not have any understanding of how to de-escalate a crisis involving individuals with developmental disabilities and severe behavior challenges. That’s why CIT training had such appeal to Shawnda and the staff at BHA.

Rachel Kirkpatrick was the next BHA employee to get involved. Rachel heads up training for BHA new hires as well as community training – like what she does on Teurika’s CIT training unit for the KCPD.

Rachel partners with Pedro Arriaza, also from BHA, to provide role-play opportunities so police officers can have real-world experiences of crises they might encounter with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

They’ve seen their fair share. Rachel started out in criminal justice, working in juvenile detention, then behavioral therapy. Pedro’s work ranged from lockdown facilities to runaway shelters. Their combined experience in criminal justice has allowed them to see that many individuals with developmental disabilities who don’t get the support they need end up in jails, detention centers and institutions.

Problem behaviors, they explain, often come from trauma and are a reaction to stressful surroundings – and most are based on an individual trying to get their needs met without the ability to communicate what those needs are. Approaching a behavioral crisis with that understanding is the first step.

“We teach people how to humanize the situation, especially during an escalation,” Rachel says. “At BHA, we deal with some of the hardest behaviors, but we develop deep relationships, and we communicate to our individuals that their behaviors are not going to push us away. We’re going to come back. We’re not going to get mad at them. We want them to know there are people who are in their corner and want them to succeed.”

Rachel and Pedro say the police recruits and other people involved in CIT training appreciate the role play. It may even be the part of the training they enjoy the most. Troy Hughes and John Mendoza also help Rachel and Pedro out with CIT trainings. They all feel like their contribution is making a real difference.

“When I get out there for CIT, I’m outlandish – and everywhere – mimicking behaviors. And that helps cops think outside the box,” Pedro says. “We basically give them an idea of what to expect, what types of behaviors they’ll see, verbal and physical aggression, and how to de-escalate it when it comes down to those situations.”

CIT now reaches nearly 2,700 communities nationwide according to the National Alliance on Mental Health – and mental health professionals play a tremendous role in CIT trainings everywhere.

In fact, Rachel was first recruited to do the role-playing by Chad Reyes, a Board-Certified Behavioral Analyst (BCBA) who serves as the Western Region Behavior Analyst with the Missouri Department of Mental Health. He teaches a course that’s part of Teurika’s CIT training program.

As a military veteran, Chad is no stranger to trauma. When he returned home from Iraq, he knew he wanted to go into mental health to help people who had similarly been impacted by trauma.

“I’ve always enjoyed helping others,” Chad says, “and when I looked at all the vulnerable people who were underserved, a lot of them who don’t have the ability to advocate for themselves, I saw that serving this population would be beneficial, something credible and valuable.”

In the course of his work, Chad encountered severe problem behaviors he wasn’t used to dealing with – like intense episodes of aggression, self-injurious behaviors, fecal manipulation and smearing, property damage, and others.

As he progressed in his field, he wanted to understand more, so he went back to school and became a behavior analyst. Over the years, he has become an expert in this field, and he enjoys sharing what he has learned with the KCPD officers and others.

Chad believes police face stigma as much as the individuals who bear the stigma of mental illness or developmental disabilities.

“People think police don’t care, but they oftentimes find themselves in really challenging situations that they’ve had no preparation for,” Chad says. “Most of them want to do the right thing and are eager for the training.”

Chad thinks the way to address these problems is as one team, collaborating on solutions, breaking down barriers, and being able to learn from each other.

Teurika agrees: “As law enforcement, we see situations on a daily basis not meant for anybody to see,” Teurika says. “Teaching our officers how to deal with it – and how to do self-care – that’s got to be part of it.”

The team from BHA has provided role play segments for 32 police trainings so far, and they don’t plan to stop. They do similar training and role-play simulations for BHA staff as well. For new hires especially, the training is invaluable.

“Playing a role in CIT training is one of the most important ways we can support the individuals at BHA and our community,” says Erin Wiercinski, CEO at BHA. “Helping to create a world that understands them, values them, protects them – that is the gift CIT brings to all of us.”