trainer program to educate, train, and prepare jail and prison staff so they are equipped to appropriately interact with people in a carceral setting who have mental illness (MI) and intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). This training should be developed by an institution of higher education or non-profit, for profit or tribal in conjunction with health care and corrections professionals to ensure a multidisciplinary approach. The training must focus on understanding behavioral health, including MI and substance use disorders, IDD, developing empathy, navigating community resources, and de-escalation skills and practical application training of those skills in a trauma-informed manner for all staff working in prisons and jails. The centerpiece of this training must be a 40-hour CIT train-the-trainer program.
