Police School
NAMI Montgomery County works closely with Montgomery County Emergency Service
(MCES) on programs to divert persons with mental illness from the criminal
justice system.
The MCES diversion strategy is based on training all police officers in its
service area to be Crisis Intervention Specialists (CIS) able to recognize the
signs of possible mental illness and to safely provide assistance.
NAMI presents the In Our Own Voice
program twice each month at the MCES police school. The school trains police,
corrections and probation officers not only in Montgomery County, but also in
the surrounding counties and throughout the region (including southern New
Jersey) and throughout Pennsylvania. The state of Virginia is also sending
officers for training.
The CIS Program began in 1975 and has been cited a national model. More
information is available at
www.mces.org. |
