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Crisis
Intervention Team (CIT)
The magnitude of the problem of untreated
mental illness is revealed not only in the numbers, but also in the
consequences. More than one million people with schizophrenia and
manic-depressive illness are not being treated on any given day. These
individuals are more likely to experience homelessness, suicide,
incarceration, victimization, and violence. For years, the law enforcement
community has borne the brunt of this crisis with its officers responding
to individuals who become psychotic and sometimes dangerous.
The Memphis Crisis Intervention Team (CIT)
is an innovative police based first responder program that has become nationally
known as the “Memphis Model” of pre-arrest jail diversion for
those in a mental illness crisis. This program provides law enforcement
based crisis intervention training for helping those individuals with
mental illness. Involvement in CIT is voluntary and based in the patrol
division of the police department. In addition, CIT works in partnership
with those in mental health care to provide a system of services that is
friendly to the individuals with mental illness, family members, and the
police officers.
Outcome research has shown CIT to be
effective in developing positive perceptions and increased confidence
among police officers; providing very efficient crisis response times;
increasing jail diversion among those with mental illness; improving the
likelihood of treatment continuity with community based providers; and
impacting psychiatric symptomatology for those suffering from a serious
mental illness as well as substance abuse disorders. This was all
accomplished while significantly decreasing police officer injury rates.
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