Adult Qualified Mental Health Professionals (QMHP-As Masters level, licensed and licensed eligible and above) new hires who are certified as 988 crisis co-responders under the Governor's "Right Help Right Now" Crisis Now Initiative should be required to undergo the same Virginia Criminal Justice Academy approved CIT training as law enforcement officers undergoing the same or equivalent training. This is the practice in other state jurisdictions which employ the evidence-based "Memphis Model" (see attached) and should be the case in Virginia. In Virginia, non-custodial Department of Corrections personnel who were "new hires" in major state correctional facilities, as I was early in my career as a licensed clinical psychologist, were required to go through the same basic training as correction officer "new hires" which was viewed at the time as means of enhancing teamwork and a shared sense of the importance of security. The same should be the case for those who work as a team in doing this kind of crisis work. That is in my professional opinion as someone who has done crisis work for years and worked in both the criminal and civil judicial systems and in the private sector for many years as well. Edmund W. Creekmore, Jr., Ph.D., LCP, Independent Forensic Examiner

This bill would be considerably strengthened by requiring that Qualified Mental Health Professionals (QMHP-A Masters Level and above, licensed or licensed eligible) who qualify to assist CIT trained law enforcement officers as crisis "co-responders" be required under Virginia law to undergo the same CIT training that is required of LEOs under this bill. Many years ago, I worked as an intake psychologist in a major Virginia correctional facility, and all non-custodial new hires were required to undergo the same basic training as new officer recruits. New Jersey has such a legal requirement for its crisis co-responders who are required by New Jersey law to undergo the same basic CIT training together. The Commonwealth of Virginia should have a similar such requirement...

Do not criminalized pro-Palestine speech, demonstrations and written material.

Comments Document

This bill would be considerably strengthened by requiring that Qualified Mental Health Professionals (QMHP-A Masters Level and above, licensed or licensed eligible) who qualify to assist CIT trained law enforcement officers as crisis "co-responders" be required under Virginia law to undergo the same CIT training that is required of LEOs under this bill. Many years ago, I worked as an intake psychologist in a major Virginia correctional facility. All non-custodial new hires were then required to undergo the same basic training as new officer recruits. New Jersey has such a legal requirement for its crisis co-responders who are required by New Jersey law to undergo the same basic CIT training together. The Commonwealth of Virginia should have a similar such requirement... Edmund W. Creekmore, Jr., Ph.D., LCP, Independent Forensic Examiner