08 LC 95
0345
Senate
Resolution 924
By:
Senators Hamrick of the 30th, Heath of the 31st, Chance of the 16th and Carter
of the 13th
A
RESOLUTION
Recognizing
and commending the Georgia Crisis Intervention Team; and for other
purposes.
WHEREAS,
mental illness is a serious medical condition that affects children,
adolescents, adults, and the elderly; and
WHEREAS,
in response to the need for Georgia's law enforcement officers to better
understand and deal with issues arising from persons with mental illness, the
Georgia Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) program was developed in 2004;
and
WHEREAS,
the CIT program trains law enforcement officers to effectively and humanely
handle children and adults in psychiatric crisis and to seek community services
for them in lieu of incarceration when appropriate; and
WHEREAS,
the CIT program is recognized by the mental health community as one of the
finest law enforcement training programs in the nation; and
WHEREAS,
the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) has collaborated with the Crisis
Intervention Team advisory board to ensure that Georgia law enforcement officers
are provided with skills necessary to interact with persons in psychiatric
crisis and to de-escalate volatile situations; and
WHEREAS,
over 2,000 law enforcement officers from 150 law enforcement agencies in Georgia
have received CIT training since 2004; and
WHEREAS,
the Crisis Intervention Team advisory board is composed of the following
governmental agencies, private organizations, and businesses: Atlanta Alliance
on Developmental Disabilities; Atlanta Police Department; Clayton County
Community Service Board; Clinic for the Education, Treatment and Prevention of
Addiction; Consumer Representative; DeKalb County Magistrate Court Judge;
Georgia Department of Human Resources - Department of Family and Children
Services; Georgia Department of Human Resources - Mental Health, Developmental
Disabilities and Addictive Diseases; Emory University School of Medicine;
Freeman, Mathis & Gary, LLP; Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police;
Georgia Bureau of Investigation; Georgia Department of Corrections; Georgia
Department of Juvenile Justice; Georgia-Pacific Corporation; Georgia Public
Safety Training Center; Georgia Sheriffs' Association; Georgia State Patrol;
Grady Memorial Hospital; Integrated Health Resources/Behavioral Health Link;
King & Spalding LLP; National Alliance on Mental Illness - Georgia; Georgia
State Board of Pardons and Paroles; The Association County Commissioners of
Georgia; and the Carter Center.
NOW,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body join in
recognizing and commending the outstanding leadership of the Georgia Crisis
Intervention Team and its outstanding work in the area of mental illness and
wish CIT continued success in the future.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed
to transmit an appropriate copy of this resolution to the advisory board of the
Georgia Crisis Intervention Team.