RIDDC’s chairperson, Michael Matracia, from the Providence Police department in conjunction with The Providence Center, presented the CIT program, designed to effectively manage calls that require mental health intervention.
Michael Matracia
Assigned to the Providence Police department’s administrative bureau, Michael has served as the ADA Coordinator since 2018. His focus on safety programs evolved as the department sought ADA Accreditation, where he brought the disability world into police dept. “I made the connection between the two years ago, aware that our department would benefit by having the conversation about how to conduct better policing in our community.” And, the success stories shared at the meeting attest to the program’s benefit to the community.
Participating in the program were Rachel Armada, manager of Providence’s Co-Response program through Providence Center, Madeline Kallmyer, clinician for the Co-Response program and Providence Police Sgt. Sean Lafferty. The “Co–Response” model is a police officer teamed with a qualified mental health professional.
The Providence law enforcement behavioral health response team is designed to de-escalate calls and resolve altercations. Mike notes, “It’s not about arresting people. We are trying to get people the help they need, with Providence Center or Day 1.” From his perspective, Mike describes the improved process in which almost immediately involves the CIT when they’re needed. “One clinician rides with us daily, on a rotating schedule – someone’s always on duty – on the radio. When an officer encounters a situation, the clinicians engage. They often know the person and the circumstances.”
Sgt. Lafferty’s comments included the contrasting examples of a few cases, where once the method followed the process of ASK, TELL, and then MAKE the person do what the officer wanted. The new protocol- the result of CIT training- focuses on listening to what the person says, a noteworthy difference. The evening’s program also included the background of the partnership, the extensive training process, and a Q&A session.