UTICA, N.Y. — Oneida County has received two major training designations to boost crisis response and mental health support across the area.
According to the Oneida County Office of the County Executive, the County Department of Mental Health has been accepted into the New York State Crisis Intervention Team Program Development Initiative, funded by the New York State Office of Mental Health and coordinated by the Institute for Police, Mental Health and Community Collaboration.
The County was also selected as one of 13 national awardees by the GAINS Center for Behavioral Health and Justice Transformation to receive a “How Being Trauma-Informed Improves Criminal Justice System Responses” Train-the-Trainer workshop, set for summer 2026.
The CIT award will provide technical assistance and training support to strengthen coordination between law enforcement, mental health providers and crisis response systems.
As part of this effort, the County will receive program development support and expanded access to 40-hour Crisis Intervention Team trainings.
Police departments sending road patrol officers to the training will be eligible for $1,500 per officer to help cover staffing and backfill costs.
The GAINS opportunity will help build local training capacity in trauma-informed practices for criminal justice and crisis response partners, supporting consistent and collaborative training that aligns with best practices.
The Utica Police Department has been named the County’s lead law enforcement partner, highlighting its ongoing collaboration with County behavioral health services.
The Oneida County Sheriff’s Office is also a key partner, with its Crisis Response Team connecting law enforcement and community stabilization services in rural and suburban areas.