Veteran draws on his own pain to ease others, keep fellow veterans alive
“Self-sufficiency is a big thing for us,” he said, “and it challenges your world view when you’re not able to do what you used to do. So when you’re handicapped by what happened during service, it’s hard to get out of the hole.”
Today, Jeans helps others out of that hole, working as a veteran crisis intervention trainer and an adviser to N.C. Secretary of Military and Veterans Affairs Larry Hall.
He teaches police officers, firefighters and other first-responders what it’s like to think like a distressed veteran, in hopes that it will create empathy and improve relationships between first-responders and veterans.
“If you can get somebody to just slow down enough to listen a little bit, that could save a life,” he said.
Wellness City Voice April 2018
Durham Wellness City enjoyed another lively visit from the current class of Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) trainees. CIT is a program designed to improve the way law enforcement and other first responders (EMS, Fire, Campus Security, 911 Operators, etc.) respond to people experiencing mental health or substance use challenges.
Suicide Prevention Awareness Month
Suicidal thoughts, much like mental health conditions, can affect anyone regardless of age, gender or background. In fact, suicide is often the result of an untreated mental health condition. Suicidal thoughts, although common, should not be considered normal and often indicate more serious issues.
2017 World Autism Awareness Day
Jackie Pilgrim talks about the exceptional work of Durham CIT at the 2017 WAAD (World Autism Awareness Day) Observation, United Nations, NYC.
University Police Join Durham’s Crisis Intervention Team
Three NCCU police officers completed a 40-hour course of specialized training in mental illness and crisis intervention techniques offered by the Durham Police Department in conjunction with the National Alliance on Mental Illness. The officers are now part of the Durham area Crisis Intervention Team (CIT).