PARKERSBURG — Registration is open for the annual West Virginia 988 & Crisis Intervention Team Summit, scheduled for July 20-22 at the Resiliency Center in Parkersburg.

The summit is hosted by First Choice Services, a Charleston-based nonprofit that operates several helplines, including the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. The event will bring together law enforcement, emergency responders, behavioral health professionals, criminal justice officials and community leaders to discuss crisis care in West Virginia.

Crisis Intervention Team, or CIT, is a program that trains first responders in crisis de-escalation and connecting people with mental health services. According to the American Psychological Association, at least 20% of police calls involve substance use or mental health concerns, and 65% of jail inmates report mental health challenges.

The first day’s keynote speaker will be Ernie Stevens, who was featured in the HBO documentary “Ernie & Joe: Crisis Cops.” Stevens is the author of “Mental Health and De-escalation: A Guide for Law Enforcement Professionals” and serves as deputy director at The Council of State Governments Justice Center.

Joe Roberts, known as “The Skid Row CEO,” will be the keynote speaker on the second day. Roberts will discuss his experience with opioid addiction and homelessness on Vancouver’s Skid Row before becoming a business leader. According to a release, Roberts pushed a shopping cart 5,500 miles across Canada to raise awareness and money for youth homelessness.

The summit will include presentations from CIT-certified law enforcement officers and behavioral health professionals about crisis intervention models. Participants also will receive updates on developing CIT programs across West Virginia.

“This summit brings together leaders from communities across the state to learn from one another about crisis response,” Hollis Lewis, project director for the WV 988 & CIT Summit, said. “We know mental health and substance use crises affect every town in our state, and collaboration is essential to making sure people get the help they need when they need it most. Proper training also keeps everyone safer, including the first responders.”

The event includes 18 hours of continuing education for law enforcement, social workers, counselors and addiction treatment professionals.

The City of Parkersburg is the lead sponsor of the summit. Other sponsors include the Mercer County Sheriff’s Department, the Wood County Commission, WV Drug Testing Laboratory, Harmony Ridge Recovery Center, the West Virginia Association of Counties, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the West Virginia Bureau for Behavioral Health.

For more information or to register, visit wvcit.com.