CIT Actor

NAMI Chicago•Chicago, IL

23h•Onsite

About The Position

Guided by the experiences of those living with mental health conditions and rooted in equity, NAMI Chicago educates to fight stigma and discrimination, fiercely advocates for our community, and shares hope, connection and expertise with people on their mental health journey. NAMI Chicago seeks to fill gaps in Chicago's mental health system, with an intentional emphasis on racial equity and breaking down barriers to care. NAMI Chicago is actively engaged with the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) program in Chicago, a relationship that began in 2004. CIT-trained officers are members of the Police Department with specialized training in de-escalating mental health crises and connecting people to mental health care. In Chicago, all CIT-trained officers have attended and successfully completed a 40-hour Basic CIT Training and certification. NAMI Chicago provides officers with education about mental health symptoms and conditions, and brings in individuals with lived mental health experience to reduce stigma and give feedback through personal stories and role-play training. As a Crisis Intervention Team Role Player, you will play a crucial role in training law enforcement and emergency response personnel. You will be responsible for simulating various crisis scenarios to help trainees develop and practice their crisis intervention skills. This position requires strong acting abilities, empathy, and a deep understanding of mental health and crisis intervention techniques.

Requirements

Must work impartially and effectively with police departments, ensuring unbiased training and support in mental health crisis intervention and de-escalation techniques.
Must be able to travel throughout Cook County to deliver training and services, including the Chicago Police Department Training Academy located at 1300 W Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, IL 60607
Must be available to attend training at the CPD Training Academy on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, as scheduled.
Mandatory attendance at NAMI Chicago trainings throughout the year

Nice To Haves

Previous experience in acting, role-playing, or crisis intervention is preferred.
Excellent verbal and non-verbal communication skills.
Ability to portray individuals in crisis with sensitivity and realism.
Willingness to adapt to different scenarios and feedback.

Responsibilities

Act out a variety of crisis situations, including mental health crises, substance abuse incidents, and other emergency scenarios.
Work closely with trainers and trainees to ensure realistic and effective training sessions.
Provide constructive feedback to trainees based on their performance during simulations.
Ensure a safe and controlled environment during training sessions.