A Response Team for Every School

Chief Rick Skilliter's day job is to make sure that Bluffton is safe as it's police chief. But Chief Skilliter wears another important hat for the Mental Health and Recovery Services Board. He is the coordinator of the School Tragedy Response Team. This team has responded to five such tragic situations in schools in our area like the death of a student or the death of a teacher. In each situation the team has helped to restore calm, help teachers work with students, and quickly brought balance and peace to what might have been a chaotic situation. The team is made up of emergency responders, pastors, members of the community, teachers, and mental health professionals who have all received extensive training in working with children. This team is ready to respond at a moment's notice in Allen, Auglaize, and Hardin Counties. The Mental Health and Recovery Services Board funds the training and the presence of mental health professionals to help the team. In each instance these mental health professionals have identified kids in crisis and gotten them the help they needed. This School Tragedy Response Team is unique and we are so fortunate to have the passion and skill of it's leader, Chief Skilliter, and the dedication of the team members who come out after hours and spend days making sure that our schools are safe and the kids and staff are taken care of. The 1 ml. levy guarantees that this work will continue into the future. Hats off to Chief Skilliter and the whole CISM Team. Help Us Care! Vote for Mental Health and Recovery Services on May 6!