A staff member at the Oregon Center on Behavioral Health and Justice Integration (OCBHJI), housed at Greater Oregon Behavioral Health, Inc. (GOBHI) has been elected to a national leadership position in the field of crisis intervention.
Ridg Medford, OCBHJI Behavioral Health and Justice Specialist, was nominated and elected to the position of First Vice President of the Crisis Intervention Team International Board of Directors on January 1, 2023.
OCBHJI is a specialized division of GOBHI dedicated to solutions at the intersection of criminal justice and behavioral health.
“We want to extend heartfelt congratulations to Ridg on this monumental achievement and thank him for all of the work he is doing for CIT, not only in Oregon but internationally,” said Karen Wheeler, CEO of GOBHI.
Ridg’s story
Ridg has spent the majority of his career promoting and advocating for crisis intervention teams (CIT). His dedication to first responder wellness also includes training to promote best possible outcomes for those involved in crisis situations. That work began when Ridg was a sworn officer with the Ontario, Oregon Police Department, where he served for 16 years. He became a Malheur County CIT coordinator and successfully expanded the CIT collaboration to multiple stakeholders, maintaining the spirit of CIT as a collaborative program.
Ridg continued his passion and advocacy for CIT when he transitioned into his role at OCBHJI. Here, he was able to continue his CIT promotion statewide and partner with the Department of Public Safety Standard and Training to become a part of the Crisis Intervention Team Center of Excellence (CITCOE) to assist communities with development and ongoing support in their local CIT programs.
These efforts and advocacy for CIT did not go unnoticed, and on January 1, 2022, Ridg was appointed to the CIT International Board of Directors. He was able to promote and highlight the inspiring work occurring in Oregon as well as provide a unique perspective of CIT teams in rural and frontier counties. Because of his unique perspective, insight, and vast knowledge of CIT, Ridg was nominated and elected to the position of First Vice President of the Crisis Intervention Team International Board of Directors on January 1, 2023.