What is CIT?
CIT stands for Crisis Intervention Team. The program began in 1988 in Memphis, Tennessee after an officer involved shooting of an individual experiencing a mental health crisis. In response, the law enforcement community and mental health community collaborated to create an effective crisis response training for law enforcement. Over 30 years later, CIT has become more than crisis response training. It is a community-based program that brings together law enforcement, mental health professionals, mental health advocates, and other partners to better responses to mental health crisis in the community. CIT is an international program which works to achieve the following:
- Improve safety for everyone during interactions between law enforcement and people experiencing a mental health crisis.
- Increase and improve connections between mental health services for people experiencing mental health crisis.
- Use law enforcement only when necessary during mental health crisis (such as situations where there is a safety or criminal concern) and lean more on mental health professionals, peer support specialists and other community supports.
- Reduce the trauma that people may experience during mental health crisis and help contribute to long term recovery.
The Mecklenburg County CIT Program has trained over 2300 law enforcement personnel from across 15 law enforcement agencies in the county. Furthermore, Mecklenburg County CIT provides training to first responders, security, and dispatch in de-escalating mental health crisis. Our program partners with our law enforcement, community mental health providers, and advocacy/consumer groups to connect resources, increase access to services, and advocate for change to improve our mental health system. If you would like to learn more, please visit the links below.
Video: What is CIT? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcWR075E1mY
Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Programs: A Best Practice Guide For Transforming Responses to Mental Health Crisis. CIT International, August 2019
Referral Disclaimer:
All referrals are provided as a resource to CIT consumers and the providers to whom you are referred are independent of, and unaffiliated with the CIT Program. CIT does not endorse providers or their competence or qualifications. CIT provides referral options based on the provider’s reported areas of expertise or skill. It is your responsibility as a consumer to determine whether the provider to whom you are referred is a good match for you. CIT can make no claims concerning the expected outcome or success of any services you may enter into and likewise is not responsible for the actions of any referred providers. We do welcome your feedback about your experience with any referred provider. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this information, you may contact CIT at any time. Thank you.