What is CIT?

The Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) program is a community partnership of law enforcement, mental health and addiction professionals, individuals who live with mental illness and/or addiction disorders, their families, and other partners to improve community responses to mental health crises. While CIT programs are known for CIT-trained officers, successful programs also focus on improving the crisis response system, advocating for needed services, and strengthening partnerships across the community.

CIT Goals

CIT facilitates getting people with mental health issues into treatment rather than jail.  CIT increases officer and community safety by designating well-trained staff to respond to situations involving a person with a mental illness.  CIT is cost-effective by reducing the number of inappropriate arrests.  CIT also assists in easing concerns for the family of those with mental illness in knowing there are specially trained officers that can deescalate situations.  CIT helps to reduce the stigma of mental illness when law enforcement makes a distinction between a symptom and a crime.

Types of calls handled

• Mental health crisis (i.e. schizophrenia, anxiety, dementia etc.)
• Substance abuse emergencies (i.e. overdoses, severe intoxication)
• Suicide attempts or threats
• Behavioral disturbances
• Altered mental states due to medical or cognitive conditions

Why the need for CIT?

• Some persons with serious mental illness are not receiving proper mental health treatment or are unaware of how to obtain mental health treatment.
• Many persons with serious mental illness are in jails for illness-related behaviors and jails are not equipped to give mental health treatment on a regular basis.

Benefits of CIT

• Decrease potential for injury or death to police officers, persons with mental illness and others.
• Decrease the number of individuals with mental illness in the criminal justice system.
• Decrease the time spent by public defenders, prosecutors and judges dealing with persons with mental illness in the criminal justice system.
• Increase the number of persons with mental illness receiving treatment.
• Reduce the myths and stigma of mental illness.
• Follow up with individuals who have been in crisis to decrease the number of repeated contacts with the criminal justice system.

When to request a CIT Officer

If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, you can call 988, or the Johnson County Adult and Child Health crisis number at 877-882-5122.  If someone appears to be in serious danger to themselves or others, you can call 911 and request a CIT Officer.

When calling 911, ask for a CIT Officer, then provide the call taker with as much information as possible to assist the officers in addressing the crisis situation.

1. Identify if you or the person you are calling about are a danger to self or others.
2. Give detailed description of the party that is in crisis.
3. Provide your contact information.

Upon arrival of officers at the scene, provide as much of the following information as possible:

• Summarize the history of the mental illness and the current issues.
• Identify specific statements made in regards to the crisis.
• Provide physician or treatment information.
• Provide prescription information (currently taking or not taking).