Monmouth University undergraduate students Sunny Decker, Ashley Johnston, Kaitlyn Welsh, and Madison Zimnoch, and graduate student Jessica Wakula, recently participated in the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Crisis Intervention Team Training (CIT) program, gaining hands-on experience in addressing mental health crises in the community.
The students represented a variety of academic backgrounds in psychology, social work, business administration, and criminal justice and observed firsthand how de-escalation techniques discussed in class were applied by first responders to real-world situations.
“I had the chance to put what I’ve learned in my psychology classes into action. It was eye-opening to see how concepts like active listening and understanding mental health conditions actually played out in high-pressure situations. Being there in person and working alongside professionals gave me a real sense of how these theories translate into meaningful support for people in crisis. It felt like I was finally able to connect the dots between what I learned in class and how I can make a difference,” Decker, a senior psychology student, said.
This marks the second year Monmouth students have participated in CIT training. Last year, the program exclusively invited criminal just students. Its success led Nicholas Sewitch, J.D., chair of the Department of Criminal Justice, to extend an invitation to the entire campus community.
Following this year’s training, participants like Wakula, a graduate social work student, are returning to additional training sessions after finding value in the experience.
“I’m always looking for unique experiences that expand my perceptions and deepen my understanding of the world and myself … The interdisciplinary collaboration with Monmouth, mental health professionals, and local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies … was impactful to all who were in attendance. In social work, we focus on enhancing human well-being by building awareness to protect vulnerable people. I look forward to continuing my learning among these community leaders and helpers for the betterment of our world,” Wakula said.
Additional Monmouth faculty are involved with the program. Meg Forney, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Criminal Justice, leads effectiveness research for CIT and evaluates its success through surveys, alongside Brian Lockwood, Ph.D., professor and graduate program chair of the Department of Criminal Justice; Michael Cronin, Ph.D., associate professor and graduate program director in the Department of Social Work; Jamie Nappi, specialist professor in the School of Social Work; Douglas Collier, DEA (Ret)., adjunct professor and director of professional outreach in the Department of Criminal Justice; and John Comiskey, Ed.D., associate professor in the Department of Criminal Justice. Rajnarind Kaur, adjunct professor in the Leon Hess Business School, also participated in the training.
Behavioral and mental health professionals from Monmouth Medical Center, the Mental Health Association of Monmouth County, the Monmouth County Mental Health Board, CPC Behavioral Healthcare, and law enforcement crisis resolution experts were also involved in the program.
