In this episode of We Thrive Together, host Josh Varner sits down with Officer Martika Hitt of the Jefferson City Police Department and CIT Officer of the Year.

They discuss crisis intervention, de-escalation, meeting people where they are, and the importance of connecting people with the support they need. Officer Hitt also shares insight from her work and the role compassion, understanding, and connection can play in creating safer outcomes for individuals and our community.

MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES

Looking for support for yourself or someone you care about? Explore United Way of Central Missouri's Mental Health Resource Hub:

https://unitedwaycemo.org/mentalhealth

NEED HELP RIGHT AWAY?

If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.

Welcome to the first episode of We Thrive Together, a podcast powered by United Way of Central Missouri and hosted by Josh Varner.

In this episode, Josh sits down with Ryan Freeman to talk about why We Thrive Together was created, what listeners can expect, and how education, resources, and connection can help create meaningful change in our community.

MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES

Looking for support for yourself or someone you care about? Explore United Way of Central Missouri's Mental Health Resource Hub:

https://unitedwaycemo.org/mentalhealth

NEED HELP RIGHT AWAY?

If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.

Join us on August 21, 2026, as we launch We Thrive Together hosted by Josh Varner!