The Crisis Intervention Team Assessment Center (CITAC) is a program designed to aid in preventing individuals experiencing behavioral health crises from being improperly incarcerated and opened in September 2014 at Riverside Doctors' Hospital in Williamsburg (RDHW). The Virginia Department of Behavioral Health & Developmental Services (DBHDS) on June 24 awarded Colonial Behavioral Health (CBH) a grant to cover the costs to develop and open the center as well as annual operational funds.
CITAC provides area law enforcement officers an alternative location to safely take individuals who need behavioral health assessment and care. CITAC is an arm of Colonial Behavioral Health's Emergency Services department, which provides crisis services to all community members in times of need. The mission of Emergency Services is to provide the most effective and compassionate intervention during an individual's behavioral crisis. The opening of CITAC at Riverside Doctors' Hospital is a great addition to our community as it provides a central location for police to bring individuals in crisis for evaluation and treatment. Officers can transfer custody of individuals to a CIT-trained, unarmed security officer and get back on patrol quickly while individuals are assessed and linked to care.
The assessment center operates in an area of the hospital's emergency department that was specially developed to support the needs of the center and its assessment staff as well as the law enforcement officers who bring individuals in for services. The program further supports Riverside's commitment to serving the health care needs of our community and to provide a resource for our dedicated law enforcement officers. By working together with law enforcement and CBH, we are better able to coordinate and extend care to those with mental illness. We're also working closely with our sister hospital, Riverside Behavioral Health Center in Hampton where the staff is dedicated to assuring patients who need extended care, such as inpatient services, are transferred in a timely fashion so that treatment can begin immediately.
The Center will lessen the burden of the law enforcement officers who are dedicated to helping our communities by working with the medical process to streamline the length of stay in the emergency department and provide a more therapeutic experience for the patient.
RDHW is located at 1500 Commonwealth Ave., just over one mile from Colonial Behavioral Health's main campus, where emergency and non-emergency behavioral and mental health services are regularly offered.
Colonial Area CITAC is yet another step toward fulfilling Riverside and Colonial Behavioral Health's mission of providing vital, accessible behavioral health services to James City and York counties and the cities of Poquoson and Williamsburg. The center will increase Riverside and Colonial Behavioral Health's ability to aid law enforcement in responding to mental health crises and redirect Individuals with mental illness from the judicial system to the health care system.
Law officers who recognize the potential need for specialized mental and behavioral health services can bring the individuals straight to CITAC for assessment and care. CITAC is open –to law enforcement officers only –12:00 p.m. until 12:00 a.m. daily.
About Colonial Behavioral Health
Founded in 1971, Colonial Behavioral Health provides mental health, intellectual disability and substance use disorder services to the citizens of James City County, the City of Poquoson, the City of Williamsburg and York County. CBH, a 501(c)3 governed by a 15-member Board of Directors, is one of 40 statewide community services boards. For more information, visit colonialbehavioralhealth.org.
About Riverside Behavioral Health Center
Riverside Behavioral Health Center offers the most comprehensive range of behavioral health programs on the Virginia Peninsula, including acute care for children and adults, crisis assessment and residential treatment for adolescents. The center is located at 2244 Executive Drive, Hampton, VA 23666.
For more information, visit riversideonline.com/rbhc.
CITAC provides area law enforcement officers an alternative location to safely take individuals who need behavioral health assessment and care. CITAC is an arm of Colonial Behavioral Health's Emergency Services department, which provides crisis services to all community members in times of need. The mission of Emergency Services is to provide the most effective and compassionate intervention during an individual's behavioral crisis. The opening of CITAC at Riverside Doctors' Hospital is a great addition to our community as it provides a central location for police to bring individuals in crisis for evaluation and treatment. Officers can transfer custody of individuals to a CIT-trained, unarmed security officer and get back on patrol quickly while individuals are assessed and linked to care.
The assessment center operates in an area of the hospital's emergency department that was specially developed to support the needs of the center and its assessment staff as well as the law enforcement officers who bring individuals in for services. The program further supports Riverside's commitment to serving the health care needs of our community and to provide a resource for our dedicated law enforcement officers. By working together with law enforcement and CBH, we are better able to coordinate and extend care to those with mental illness. We're also working closely with our sister hospital, Riverside Behavioral Health Center in Hampton where the staff is dedicated to assuring patients who need extended care, such as inpatient services, are transferred in a timely fashion so that treatment can begin immediately.
The Center will lessen the burden of the law enforcement officers who are dedicated to helping our communities by working with the medical process to streamline the length of stay in the emergency department and provide a more therapeutic experience for the patient.
RDHW is located at 1500 Commonwealth Ave., just over one mile from Colonial Behavioral Health's main campus, where emergency and non-emergency behavioral and mental health services are regularly offered.
Colonial Area CITAC is yet another step toward fulfilling Riverside and Colonial Behavioral Health's mission of providing vital, accessible behavioral health services to James City and York counties and the cities of Poquoson and Williamsburg. The center will increase Riverside and Colonial Behavioral Health's ability to aid law enforcement in responding to mental health crises and redirect Individuals with mental illness from the judicial system to the health care system.
Law officers who recognize the potential need for specialized mental and behavioral health services can bring the individuals straight to CITAC for assessment and care. CITAC is open –to law enforcement officers only –12:00 p.m. until 12:00 a.m. daily.
About Colonial Behavioral Health
Founded in 1971, Colonial Behavioral Health provides mental health, intellectual disability and substance use disorder services to the citizens of James City County, the City of Poquoson, the City of Williamsburg and York County. CBH, a 501(c)3 governed by a 15-member Board of Directors, is one of 40 statewide community services boards. For more information, visit colonialbehavioralhealth.org.
About Riverside Behavioral Health Center
Riverside Behavioral Health Center offers the most comprehensive range of behavioral health programs on the Virginia Peninsula, including acute care for children and adults, crisis assessment and residential treatment for adolescents. The center is located at 2244 Executive Drive, Hampton, VA 23666.
For more information, visit riversideonline.com/rbhc.