Conversations that Challenge Christians:

April 26: Crisis Intervention

Crisis Intervention Captain Evan Love: Enforcement Division Commander and CIT-Crisis Intervention Team Trainer Hendricks County Sheriff’s Office will be our guest speaker. We have all heard the stories of someone in a mental health crisis whose actions have been misinterpreted thus leading to disastrous results. The lack of mental health crisis services across the U.S. has resulted in law enforcement officers serving as first responders to these situations. A Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) program is an innovative, community-based approach to improve the outcomes of these encounters. In over 2,700 communities nationwide, CIT programs create connections between law enforcement, mental health providers, hospital emergency services and individuals with mental illness and their families. Through collaborative community partnerships and intensive training, CIT improves communication, identifies mental health resources for those in crisis and ensures officer and community safety.

May 17: The Willow Center

We will end this series on resources in Hendricks County with guest speaker Chase Cotton who is director of The Willow Center. The Willow Center is located in Brownsburg and is dedicated to the treatment of alcohol and drug addictions and mental health. The center offers individual counseling, group support programs, intensive outpatient treatment, and medication management for area residents. The Center was founded in 2012 by Ashley English, a long-term survivor of addiction. Through the years, the Center has expanded its services including opening a second facility in Pittsboro. Services are available to children, teens and adults.

Conversations will be earlier in the month due to the Memorial Day weekend. A special thanks to Diane Buxton who has organized this series that has provided such great resources that may not be as familiar to our congregation members and our neighbors in need of assistance.