CSS Engagement Specialist Kathy Barnhart, BA, LSW, recently was honored as Mental Health Practitioner of the Year at the annual Ohio Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Advanced Crisis Training Conference. The award recognizes an individual mental health practitioner who has “contributed to the knowledge, growth and/or effective outcomes of a local CIT program.”

Kathy was nominated by Tallmadge Patrol Officer Ralph Stover, who said, “Kathy consistently exemplifies character traits of a leader and has an eager desire to better those around her. She is extremely humble and shows a great deal of compassion. I have witnessed her interaction with clients and seen her ability to connect with them and truly make a difference.”

Kathy was “very surprised, but obviously very grateful” to be chosen for the honor.

The virtual conference was sponsored by the Criminal Justice Coordinating Center of Excellence at Northeast Ohio Medical University, the Ohio Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services, NAMI Ohio and others.