Penn State Altoona students assist in statewide crisis management training

MONACA, Pa - Students who participate in Penn State Altoona's Integrated Social Science Research Lab (ISSRL) assisted Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) and Penn State Health (PSH) with a Keystone Model of Crisis Management (KMCM) workshop at Penn State Beaver on Oct. 28. The workshop brought together first responders, students, and community members to learn and practice skills, techniques, and strategies of crisis management taught by professionals from the PSP Use of Force Unit and PSH Clinical Simulation Center.

"We are in the middle of significant, decades-long mental health crisis in the United States," said Nathan E. Kruis, associate professor of criminal justice at Penn State Altoona and research associate at Penn State Harrisburg's Douglas Pollock Center. "This training helps provide first responders with the tools they need to handle crisis calls."

Through lectures and hands-on exercises, participants learned how to recognize symptoms of mental illnesses and practice skills that help stabilize someone experiencing a crisis.

"This is a great opportunity for students and officers to learn how to identify and de-escalate situations effectively. I am glad to play a small part in helping to get it out there," said Ally Black, third-year criminal justice student.

Funding for the workshops is provided by the Pollock Center. This is the fourth community-based workshop hosted at a Penn State campus. ISSRL members assist with registration and other logistical support for the workshops. "We help find locations to hold the trainings, invite police departments in the region, and handle registration," said second-year criminal justice student Abigail Hayes. "We also administer pre- and post-workshop surveys to help measure the effectiveness of the training."

"The Pennsylvania State Police and Penn State Health are paving the way for law enforcement and healthcare professionals to work together on the common goal of keeping their communities safe and healthy," said fourth-year criminal justice student Devlin Glenn. "As a future law enforcement officer, I am thankful to have had the opportunity to participate in this training multiple times in my college career."

The ISSRL is embedded in the Criminal Justice and Sociology programs at Penn State Altoona. Coordinated by Kruis and Nicholas Rowland, distinguished professor of sociology, the lab is made possible by Penn State Altoona's Division of Business, Health, Humanities, and Social Sciences, headed by Nicholas L. Pyeatt.

Those interested in attending the next workshop, scheduled for April 2026, can email [email protected].