El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office has been awarded a two-year $250,000 Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program grant.

The money from the U.S. Department of Justice will be used to assist the Crisis Intervention Team.

The CIT was originally developed based upon the national recognition that law enforcement needed to take an alternate approach when dealing with the mentally ill. The approach was an attempt to try to reduce dangerous encounters with law enforcement and the non-productive housing of the mentally ill within jail facilities.

The CIT duties include: Assessing and identifying the needs of subjects with mental illness or special needs such as autism, dementia, brain trauma and addictions; identifying and referring subjects to resources not commonly known or used during the routine handling of calls for service; case management and follow-up; the maintenance of contacts; providing briefing training to co-workers; and attending monthly multi-disciplinary team meetings; along with their regular patrol duties.

The grant also includes providing training to all EDSO deputies, other first responders, and county employees who have frequent contact with the public in El Dorado and neighboring counties.