Dedication to crisis intervention earns Riggs the CIT Professional of the Year award

Dan Starcher
·2 min read

With the rising number of people with mental health conditions experiencing a crisis, professionals like 911 Dispatch Assistant Director Betty Riggs play a critical role in the positive outcome of those incidents.

Riggs was named 2023 CIT (Crisis Intervention Team) Professional of the Year at the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of Wayne and Holmes Counties Annual Meeting and Dinner for her dedication to crisis intervention.

Recently, there has been a growing emphasis on the importance of CIT in communities nationwide. These teams are composed of law enforcement officers, mental health professionals, and community advocates who specialize in recognizing and responding to individuals with mental health disorders experiencing a crisis.

Wayne County 911 Dispatch Assistant Director Betty Riggs poses with her 2023 CIT Professional of the Year Award.
Wayne County 911 Dispatch Assistant Director Betty Riggs poses with her 2023 CIT Professional of the Year Award.

A fifth of emergency call are mental health related

According to NAMI, 20% of emergency calls involve a person affected by mental illness. CIT training goes beyond traditional law enforcement training, providing officers with a deeper understanding of mental health disorders, crisis de-escalation, and the importance of empathy and compassion. This specialized training equips officers with the tools to respond effectively using minimal force.

“This year, the advisory council opened nominations to non-law enforcement personnel and included anyone involved with the crisis intervention team,” said NAMI of Wayne and Holmes Counties Director Jen Grim. “This included fire and EMS departments, the court system, and dispatch employees. Prior nominees have been from the Sheriff’s Office or police officers.”

In addition to her responsibilities with 911 Dispatch, Riggs serves on the NAMI CIT Advisory Committee, assists with CIT training, and represents NAMI of Wayne and Holmes Counties at the state level. She also has the distinction of becoming the first female to receive the honor of CIT Professional of the Year.

Grim applauds the efforts of CIT members.

“Responding to a call when there are mental health issues is a different type of call for first responders,” Grim said. “The person experiencing a mental health crisis may not know their behavior is inappropriate. These professionals approach these encounters with calmness and work to de-escalate the situation. They are trained to look for indicators that point toward mental health issues.”

Other nominees for the award were:

  • Patrolman Stacey Chuhi of the Wooster Police Department

  • Senior Probation Officer Cindy Kuhl of Wayne County Adult Probation

  • Chief Bryon Meshew of the Creston Police Department

  • Officer Dan Sottosanti of the Orrville Police Department

  • Dee Stidham of Holmes County Adult Probation

Dan Starcher is the public communications coordinator for the Wayne County government.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Riggs named Professional of the Year for crisis intervention efforts