Crisis Intervention Teams Center of Excellence
Mission
We will seek to develop and maintain partnerships with Oregon criminal justice and behavioral health agencies, organizations and service providers in order to develop and maintain a network of criminal justice and behavioral health professionals, behavioral health advocates, and consumers to promote excellence in law enforcement behavioral health training throughout Oregon.
Vision
The Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST) – Center for Policing Excellence (CPE) and The Oregon Center for Behavioral Health and Justice Integration (OCBHJI) are jointly committed to promoting the development of criminal justice behavioral health training programs, such as Crisis Intervention Teams and other specialized police response models, throughout Oregon. The objective of this partnership is to assist criminal justice and behavioral health agencies in providing a more effective and compassionate response to people experiencing a behavioral health crisis. The joint effort shall be known as the CIT Center of Excellence (CITCOE).
CIT Works
Research has demonstrated that CIT trained officers demonstrate more knowledge about mental health than non CIT trained officers. Additionally, CIT trained officers are more likely to make a mental health referral and less likely to make an arrest than non CIT trained officers.
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CIT trained officers who volunteered for the training do better on all these measures than those who were assigned to training, which highlights an important tenet of the Memphis Model to train officers who have volunteered. However, CIT trained officers who were assigned to training do better on all of the measure than those who haven’t been trained in CIT (https://mhttcnetwork.org/centers/southeast-mhttc/problem-criminalization-serious-mental-illness-part-2).
MEET THE TEAM
Hassan Hassan
Behavioral Health Program Coordinator
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Hassan Hassan, an 18-year public safety professional, spent his first 13-years in law enforcement at the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office in Grand Junction, Colorado, and the last 5-years in training law enforcement professionals. Hassan has held numerous roles in his career including SWAT operator, Patrol Sergeant, Drug Unit Commander and Training Division Director. Hassan is currently a Behavioral Health Program Coordinator for the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training in Salem, Oregon. Hassan has held collateral duties as CIT coach, CIT course facilitator, peer support team manager, non-clinical director of a regional CISM team and most recently facilitated the creation of a peer support team at his current agency. Hassan has an enthusiasm for bringing his personal and professional experiences to the forefront and creating an atmosphere where students and staff feel safe engaging in very difficult conversations in order to convey the importance of wellness both on and off the job.
Julie Collinson
Behavioral Health Program Coordinator
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Julie is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Nationally Certified Counselor, having completed her Master’s degree in Professional Mental Health Counseling and Addictions Studies at Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon, and Bachelor’s of Science degree in Exercise and Sports Science, and a minor in Psychology from Oregon State University. Julie has worked in the public safety sector for over 16 years. Julie joined the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office in 2006, responsible for creating specialized training programs in the areas of child abuse, sexual abuse, domestic violence, and search and rescue, and in 2014, she became the CIT Coordinator for Clackamas County. In her tenure at CCSO, Julie provided training for over 10,000 multi-disciplinary professionals in the state and around the U.S. In 2018, Julie began working for the Oregon Department of Corrections Correctional Services, creating programs and educational curriculum, and providing support services for children and families of adults in custody. Then, in 2020, Julie joined DPSST as a part-time Behavioral Health instructor. Prior to joining DPSST, Julie was a therapist in a non-profit residential facility providing therapeutic services for adjudicated youth offenders, in partnership with the Oregon Youth Authority. Julie also has a private practice specializing working with first responders and military professionals who have experienced trauma. In March of 2021, Julie joined DPSST’s Center for Policing Excellence as one of two Behavioral Health Program Coordinators.
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Julie is passionate about serving her community, and providing opportunities for youth through sports, and is an active board member for basketball, lacrosse and football in her community. When you don’t find her on field or court cheering on her teenage sons, she is found enjoying her other passions, training her rescue horses, or camping with her family and friends throughout the state.
Ridg Medford
Behavioral Health and Justice Specialist
Ridg served as a certified police officer for over 16 years. He served his entire law enforcement career with the Ontario Police Department and held his advanced police certification through the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST). During his time with the Police Department, he served in many roles, including school resource officer, motor officer, and detective. He has also served as the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) coordinator for Malheur County. He is a mental health first aid instructor, a trauma informed care instructor, a qualified sequential intercept model mapping workshop facilitator, a certified crisis intervention team coordinator, a juvenile fire-setter intervention specialist, and a nationally certified anger management specialist. Ridg is passionate about teaching and has taught crisis intervention and officer wellness topics at local, regional, and international levels. He is an acting board member of Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) International, serving as 1st Vice President. He also serves on the national advisory board for the Virginia Center for Policing Innovation (VCPI) CIT ASSIST program.
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Ridg is very community driven and serves or has served on several boards, including being the chairperson of the board for the Housing Authority of Malheur and Harney Counties. Ridg is a passionate outdoorsman and can often be found in the mountains with his family and friends.
