Grant writer honored for role in mental health crisis training

By Gregory Connolly
wydaily.com

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. — During a police officer’s day-to-day interaction with the public, chances are he or she will run into a person with mental illness — knowing what to do in that situation is paramount.

That’s why Joan Lucera has committed so much time in recent years to bringing Crisis Intervention Team training to Historic Triangle law enforcement organizations. The weeklong course — which more than 85 area police officers have now completed — offers officers the training they need to effectively communicate with people in a mental health crisis.

Lucera wrote the grant that secured funding for a coordinator for CIT in the area when she worked for Colonial Behavioral Health. In addition to writing the grant, Lucera crafted a plan to implement the training.

Full Story: Grant Writer Honored for Bringing Mental Health Crisis Training to Officers