CIPS

Mr. Lewis is a Crisis Intervention Program Specialist (CIPS); his role will employ a three step model for tackling crises and developing programs which will combat several key areas of concern in our community at large.  Simply put: a crisis is a state of feeling in which formerly successful coping mechanisms fail and ineffective decisions and behaviors occur.  Regardless of the nature of the crisis, Mr. Lewis will always do the following:

1. Assess the needs of the individual in crisis by first listening to their story, solely to understand what brought them to this point. 

2. Utilize the information he has gathered and evaluate the situation with the aim of identifying possible causes and potential solutions.

3. Develop an appropriate intervention plan designed for their specific needs.  This could include referring them to counseling or other mental health/SUD services, providing emotional support, helping them find resources such as housing or job training  or connecting them with community resources accordingly.  The overall goal will always be to help the individual gain insight into the root cause of their crisis via trauma informed care and assist with creating a path forward to a healthier life moving forward.

This position will also have three key areas of focus:

1. Providing peer support for all enforcement personnel.

2. Following up with the community members whom have traditionally been seen as having “fallen through the cracks”.

3. Interfacing with Ozarks Healthcare and other behavioral health resources as it relates to community policing, to include drug treatment and overall diversion.  Mr. Lewis will assist in program development with initiatives identifying and targeting risk factors that are likely to lead to gun-related violence as well.

The role of the Crisis Intervention Program Specialist (CIPS) in regard to peer support will include the mental and physical wellbeing of our personnel.  Sheriff Campbell and Mr. Lewis envision this position as the pre-eminent educator, mentor, and support system within the Sheriff’s Office and other agencies within Howell County. The direct access to a professional specializing in behavioral health will significantly improve knowledgeable resources in our community with mental health related interactions and community relations as a whole.  Furthermore, having a specialized professional would assist in development and program management related to Law Enforcement wellness and resilience.  Each of these elements are aligned with our ultimate goal of continually improving upon our community relations initiatives and meeting the specific needs of our area. It will not only benefit our ability to meet our community’s behavioral health needs, but will also improve the wellbeing of our Law Enforcement community. 

Any individual struggling with a serious mental illness is at higher risk for homicide, suicide, and accidents, as well as chronic conditions that take a toll on health and social services.  One of Mr. Lewis’s immediate training goals is to become a certified trainer in Question, Persuade, and Refer (QPR) which is a suicide prevention training designed to assist in identification and training in suicide risk factors, not only for the citizens we serve but also amongst our peers within the project service area which includes but is not limited to;  Howell County and all municipalities within its area as well as incorporated and non-incorporated cities such as West Plains, Willow Springs, Mountain View, Pomona, Brandsville and South Fork.