About.The Kansas CIT Association is established to represent communities in Kanas served by CIT programs, to promote strengthening and expanding CIT programs, and to improve outcomes for law enforcement officers and individuals affected by behavioral health crises.
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Established in 1988In 1988, Memphis, Tennessee introduced the first Crisis Intervention Team as a vital component to the community's demand for safer first responder crisis services. Since that time the CIT movement has grown to encompass more than 600 communities nationwide.
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Our MissionKansas CIT Association's mission is to strengthen partnerships between law enforcement, mental health providers and the communities they serve, to develop new CIT programs in underserved areas and support the missions of our existing CIT Councils, to facilitate training opportunities for our association's members, and maintain a database of resources for our members.
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Board of Directors
Narciso Narvais
Sedgwick County Sheriff's Office
President
Heather Buller
Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center
Vice President
Heather currently serves as Assistant Director for the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center (KLETC) for Professional and Continuing Education. She is tasked with developing, managing and delivering continuing education programs to law enforcement across the State. Heather joined the KLETC staff in 2011 after serving 9 years as the Associate Director of the Regional Community Policing Training Institute (RCPI) at Wichita State University. In her tenure with the RCPI, she provided training and technical assistance to Law Enforcement Agencies and Professional Organizations in Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri and Iowa. Heather has been assisting with statewide CIT coordination since 2011 in cooperation with the Kansas Law Enforcement CIT Council and the Kansas Department of Aging and Disabilities.
Chrissy Russell
Valeo Behavioral Healthcare
Secretary
Chrissy Russell, LMSW is the CIT Coordinator at Valeo Behavioral Health Care, in the Crisis Intervention Services Department. She serves as a Crisis and Intake Clinician as well as supervises the Co Responder unit and the Alternative Sentencing Court Clinician/Jail Liaison position. She began her career with Valeo in 2015 as a Co-Responder. She was soon promoted to Alternative Sentencing Court Clinician Coordinator/Jail Liaison and Co Responder supervisor 8 months into her career at Valeo.
Chrissy is actively working toward her clinical social work licensure by providing induvial therapy. She is certified in Trauma Informed Care and co-chairs a Trauma Informed Care work group a Valeo to institute these practices agency wide. She is passionate about the work she does within the CIT framework and works closely with the Topeka Police Department to provide CIT training to local law enforcement/dispatch. She sits on the Shawnee County CIT Council. She has been on the board with the Topeka Fire Department Critical Incident Stress Management Team since 2016 as the Mental Health Professional. She is an original member of the Strengthening Police and Community Partnerships Council in Topeka where she actively works to bridge gaps between the community and local law enforcement.
Chrissy is actively working toward her clinical social work licensure by providing induvial therapy. She is certified in Trauma Informed Care and co-chairs a Trauma Informed Care work group a Valeo to institute these practices agency wide. She is passionate about the work she does within the CIT framework and works closely with the Topeka Police Department to provide CIT training to local law enforcement/dispatch. She sits on the Shawnee County CIT Council. She has been on the board with the Topeka Fire Department Critical Incident Stress Management Team since 2016 as the Mental Health Professional. She is an original member of the Strengthening Police and Community Partnerships Council in Topeka where she actively works to bridge gaps between the community and local law enforcement.
Christopher Venables
Salina Police Department
Treasurer
Officer Chris Venables joined the Kansas Law Enforcement CIT Council in 2019 and currently serves as the Treasurer. He started his Law Enforcement career in 1998 with the Houston Police Department in Texas. Officer Venables was a Patrol Officer , Bank Robbery Apprehension Officer and a Proactive Crime Unit Officer.
Officer Venables has been with the Salina Police Department since 2005. He has served as a Patrol Officer, Field Training Officer, Drug Task Force Detective and SWAT Team Crisis /Hostage Negotiator and is a certified EMT. Officer Venables is still currently serving in the above positions with the exception of the Drug Task Force. Officer Venables serves on the Saline County CIT council and is the CIT liaison for the Salina Police Department.
Officer Venables has been with the Salina Police Department since 2005. He has served as a Patrol Officer, Field Training Officer, Drug Task Force Detective and SWAT Team Crisis /Hostage Negotiator and is a certified EMT. Officer Venables is still currently serving in the above positions with the exception of the Drug Task Force. Officer Venables serves on the Saline County CIT council and is the CIT liaison for the Salina Police Department.
Andrea Clark
Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services
Ericka Lysell
Central Kansas Mental Health Center
Ericka Lysell is the Director of Community Support Services at Central Kansas Mental Health Center in Salina KS. She has been employed there for 20 years. She received her bachelor’s degree in social work at the University of Kansas in 1998 and Masters of social work at Newman University in Wichita in 2015. She has worked in the capacity as a case manager with youths with serious emotional disturbances and adults with serious emotional disturbances, a psychosocial coordinator for an adolescent psychosocial program, a therapist and a supervisor of a strengths based case management team. Her current position involves overseeing adult psychosocial programming, case management and peer support. She is also a certified teacher of ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills and Training) and Youth Mental Health First Aid. She has been active with the Salina CIT council for 2 years.
Gladys Williams
Sedg. County Offender Assessment Program/COMCARE
Gladys Williams M.S., LCMFT is currently the Mental Health Court Therapist for COMCARE of Sedgwick County. Her role works in collaboration with City of Wichita Municipal Court system (judges, lawyers, probation officers, etc.), community service providers, Law Enforcement/Jail and Mental Health professionals to advocate for clients and problem-solve the diverse problems related to mental illness in the criminal justice system. She obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology at Wichita State University and graduate degree from Friends University receiving her Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy. Gladys has worked for COMCARE of Sedgwick County for over 11 years during which she has had several roles including; case manager with the youth, Emergency Services Crisis Case Manager on the suicide hotline, Crisis Services Senior Social Worker and Crisis Stabilization Unit Team Supervisor. She is actively involved with the Sedgwick County CIT Council and has been a member for almost 4 years. Gladys has taught during CIT trainings and Law Enforcement Recruits on topics such as Motivational Interviewing, Crisis Intervention, and Introducing Community Partners to Mental Health Court. She is also a certified teacher of ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills and Training). Other experience includes clinical private practice and community service with refugees.
Jeffrey Robinson
Wyandot Center
Jeffrey Robinson: Jeff currently serves as the Jail / Court Liaison with Wyandot Center in Kansas City, Wyandotte County, KS. In the near 20 years Jeff has worked in the field of Human Services, he has held multiple positions. Throughout his 10 year career at Wyandot Center, he has worked passionately with individuals living with Severe Persistent Mental Illness (SPMI). Also, working with Homeless Outreach, Supported Housing, and the Kansas Supported Housing Offender Program (KSHOP) assisting with reintegration for people previously KDOC incarcerated. In his current Role, Jeff helps to bridge the gap within the local correction and legal systems advocating for consumers who may be lost or become trapped in a cycle of recidivism. Over the past 6 years, Jeff has been actively involved in the CIT Program of Wyandotte County and currently assists with their local CIT Council.
Katie Yarsulik
Kansas City Kansas Police Department
Katie has worked on the KCKPD since 2005, previous to that she was also employed by KUPD in Kansas City as an officer. Katie is currently assigned to Operations and works in the field as a Captain. She has been involved with CIT since 2015 and now serves as the co-coordinator for the police department’s CIT program. She is involved in training and also serves on the Wyandotte County CIT Council.
Danica Baird
Wyandotte County Sheriff's Office
Danica joined Kansas C.I.T. association in 2019. She has been serving as a Deputy with the Wyandotte County Sheriff’s Office for the past 9 years and is LEO certified through the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center. During her years of service, she has worked in all aspects of the Adult Detention Center including working in the housing units, intake, as a Jail Training Officer, and as Acting Sergeant. She has even served as a deputy in the Offender Registration Unit. Training and education are a huge part of Danica’s personal and professional philosophy. She has been instrumental in bringing standardized intake booking/release training to the Adult Detention Center and in the development of a Peer Support Team for the Wyandotte County Sheriff’s Office. Danica is trained in C.I.T. and is an IACP trained peer supporter. As a hobby and a passion, Danica trains and competes as a Powerlifter with the Sheriff’s Office internal team.