On January 7, 2017 at approximately 9:15AM, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call regarding a man in mental crisis near the 36800 block of North Deerview Drive. Members of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) were dispatched to respond to the scene.

The man in crisis left his residence on foot in the extreme cold. The Lake County Sheriff’s Crisis Intervention Team arrived on the scene, located the man, and immediately began crisis communication. After the team spent over 45 minutes utilizing crisis communication with the man, he was escorted to a nearby ambulance. The man was transported to a local hospital for a mental health evaluation.

Sheriff Mark Curran said, “Crisis Intervention Team training is crucial for all police officers. Being able to recognize someone in mental crisis, as our deputies did today, and respond appropriately is essential to bringing help to a person in crisis.”

Undersheriff Ray Rose said, “Because of the proactive approach the Lake County Sheriff’s Office takes to Crisis Intervention Team training, we are able to share another success story. Our deputies utilized their CIT skills to aid this man in crisis, versus a different outcome.”

Recently, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office received the Federal Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program Grant, totaling $250,000.00. The grant is being used to vastly expand the public sector’s training and response to mental health incidents in Lake County.