The Portage County Crisis Intervention Team Education Collaboration conducted a training this summer for local schools in handling school crisis situations where students have mental health problems or are in crisis. CITEC is a five-day program focusing on awareness of mental health issues and also prevention and de-escalation of crisis situations in the school environment.
Sponsored through the Mental Health & Recovery Board of Portage County, the training is led by educator Carrie Suvada, a special education teacher at Waterloo Local School District. The Streetsboro Police Department again welcomed the group which used the department’s training room for the week of sessions. Sgt. Andy Suvada of Streetsboro police, a Portage County Crisis Intervention Team officer, assisted his wife and helped with presentations.
In its sixth year, the training covers mental illness symptoms, suicide prevention, autism, domestic violence, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, legal issues, security plans, de-escalation principles, verbal techniques, role-plays and resources. The training is similar to the Crisis Intervention Team training for law enforcement.
The new class of CITEC graduates stopped for a photo with members of the Streetsboro Police:
Front row left to right: Chief Roy Mosley III, Beverly Stewart of Ravenna City Schools, Andrea Condor of Mogadore Local School District, Anna Chell of Ravenna City Schools, Mary Sly of Streetsboro City Schools, Laura Payne of Stow-Munroe Falls City Schools, Aaron Hido of Kent City Schools, CITEC Coordinator Carrie Suvada, Michael Burchard of Hudson City Schools, and Lt. Darin Powers
Back row left to right: Michelle Lupica and Petrina Twigger, both of Streetsboro City Schools.
For more information about CITEC, call the Mental Health & Recovery Board at 330-673-1756 or email amiec@mental-health-recovery.org.