Loudoun County to Open Crisis Intervention Team Assessment Center

Loudoun County Sheriff Michael Chapman addresses Loudoun County Mental Health staff, sheriff’s deputies and others who attended the Sept. 29 ceremony celebrating the opening of the Loudoun County Crisis Intervention Team Assessment Center. To Chapman’s right is Assistant Loudoun County Administrator Julie Grandfield. Photo Courtesy/Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office

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Since 2012, Loudoun County Sheriff’s (LCSO) deputies have assisted more than 1,700 people who were suffering a behavioral crisis and that number should increase, according to Loudoun County, which has trained more than 190 law enforcement officers to identify and address the needs of individuals experiencing a mental health crisis.

In hopes to continue helping those experiencing a psychiatric emergency, the Loudoun County Department of Mental Health, Substance Abuse & Development Services (MHSADS) and the LCSO worked together to open the Loudoun County Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Assessment Center, stated the news release.

The center, which is set to open on October 1st, will be open daily from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., aims to increase access to crisis evaluations and minimize the time law enforcement is pulled from patrol and community policing duties to wait for crisis response services, the release explained. It is located on 102 Heritage Way, N.E. in Leesburg.

“I am proud of the relationship the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office has with Loudoun Mental Health and the rapid and comprehensive progress we have made in this area,” said Sheriff Mike Chapman in a prepared statement. “By working together, we have established ourselves as leaders in addressing mental health issues in the field, in the Adult Detention Center, and in our communities.”

Other stakeholders in the Loudoun County CIT program initiative include the Leesburg Police Department, Purcellville Police Department, NAMI-Loudoun, Friends of Loudoun Mental Health, INOVA Loudoun Hospital Emergency Departments, Stone Spring Emergency Department, and the Northern Virginia Criminal Justice Academy.

MHSADS was awarded a grant by the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services.

“The grant award that makes this center possible is a great example of multiple agencies collaborating to increase access to mental health evaluations and provide individuals with important links to community resources for crisis stabilization,” said Michelle Petruzzello, Division Director for MHSADS and author of the grant.

More information about the Sheriff’s Office is available online at www.sheriff.loudoun.gov . More information about MHSADS is online at www.loudoun.gov/MHSADS .