Heartland Crisis Intervention Team

The Heartland Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) is a first responder’s mental health collaborative program. It is built on strong partnerships between law enforcement, mental health provider agencies, and individuals and families affected by mental health and wellness challenges.

In 2006, Heartland CIT was formed and began adopting the widely accepted Memphis Model, CIT philosophy to transform crisis response systems in the Region 6 area, to increase connections to effective and timely mental health services, reduce the trauma that people experience during a mental health crisis, and improve safety during law enforcement encounters with people experiencing a mental health crisis. Over the years, Heartland CIT has expanded to serve all of Nebraska by creating regional chapters of Heartland CIT to serve the community.

Heartland CIT provides the following in Nebraska and Western Iowa:

  • Heartland CITQuality training to police officers, hospital security guards, correction officers, dispatchers, campus security guards, probation, and community corrections officers.
  • A Crisis Intervention Partners Training course designed for dispatchers, fire and EMS, schools, TSA, security officers, human service workers, diversion services, and educators.

Heartland CIT has achieved success by remaining a true community partner.

Contact:

Rebecca Hancock
Crisis Intervention Team Program Manager
rebecca.hancock@onlfs.org

Bradley Negrete, LIMHP, LPC
Assistant Vice President of Health and Wellness Services
brad.negrete@onelfs.org

Crisis Intervention Team FAQs

  • Crisis Intervention Team

  • A CIT officer responds to crisis calls involving mental health and/or substance use emergencies. CIT officers aim to de-escalate, assess, and divert to behavioral health services and support, when appropriate.

  • A CIT Certified Coordinator or Liaison serves as an ally to the behavioral health community, families, and advocates, and maintains open lines of communication with service providers, community partners, stakeholders, and the public.

  • When there is an emergency involving a mental health and/or substance use situation.

  • In the event of an emergency, call 911 and state the emergency involves a person with possible mental illness and/or substance use.

  • If you do not have an emergency but still need help, dial 988 for assistance with behavioral health resources and/or social services.

  • If you do not have an emergency, you may call 988 for information.

  • Many police agencies have CIT officers and all Nebraska criminal justice professionals have access to CIT Training.  Email Rebecca Hancock at rebecca.hancock@onelfs.org.

  • If this is not an emergency and you would like more detailed information about CIT, please e-mail Rebecca Hancock at rebecca.hancock@onelfs.org.

  • We have several training opportunities for the community such as Crisis Intervention Partners, compassion fatigue, Mental Health First Aid, and many more!

    If this is not an emergency and you would like more detailed information about other training opportunities, please e-mail Rebecca Hancock at rebecca.hancock@onelfs.org.

Partnerships

  • Our Partnerships expand across the state now and include:

    Lutheran Family Services
    Omaha Police Department
    Sarpy County Sheriff’s Office
    Douglas County Sheriff’s Office
    LaVista Police Department
    Bellevue Police Department
    Papillion Police Department
    Metropolitan Community College Police Department
    University of Nebraska Lincoln
    University of Nebraska at Kearney
    University of Nebraska Omaha
    UNMC
    CHI
    Regional Behavioral Health Authorities (Regions 1-6)
    University of Nebraska Public Safety
    Creighton University
    Kearney Police Department
    Hall County Sheriff’s Office
    Grand Island Police Department
    Community Alliance
    Monroe Meyer Institute
    Douglas County Department of Corrections
    Sarpy County Department of Corrections
    Nebraska Law Enforcement Academy
    Nebraska Crime Committee
    Veterans Police Department
    Veterans Hospital
    The Kim Foundation
    Douglas County Detox
    Sienna Francis
    Open Door Mission
    City of Omaha
    First Responders Foundation
    NAMI Omaha
    NAMI Nebraska
    Ralston Police Department
    Fremont Police Department
    Dodge County Sheriff’s Office
    Blair Police Department
    Douglas County Communications
    Nebraska Humane Society
    Council on Alcoholism & Addiction
    Buffalo County Sheriff’s Office
    Hall County Sheriff’s Office
    Goodwill Industries
    Behavioral Health Education Center of Nebraska (BHECN)–Central
    Midplanes Center on Behavioral Healthcare
    Grand Island Police Department
    College of Saint Mary’s
    Creighton University
    Douglas County Mental Health Center
    Catholic Charities
    Northpointe Recovery Services
    Pando Geriatric Counseling
    BoysTown
    Nebraska Family Helpline
    Douglas County Attorney’s Office
    Centerpointe Campus for Hope
    Generation Diamond
    Lasting Hope Recovery Center
    Nebraska Urban Indian Health Coalition
    Salvation Army
    Set Me Free Project
    Youth Emergency Services
    Together Inc.
    Women’s Fund of Omaha

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