First Responders/Police Mental Health Response
What is (CIT)?
Crisis Intervention Team
CIT increases effectiveness of first responders in:
“improving outcomes for people experiencing a crisis due to a mental or substance use disorder… to recognize a person who is in crisis and safely direct them to treatment appropriate for their condition… This model has been successful in many communities, bringing together police and other first responders with resources… result is a decrease in the number of mental-health related arrests while increasing public safety”- SAMHSA[1]
CIT is a first responder model of crisis intervention training to help persons with mental disorders and/or addictions access medical treatment rather than placing them in the criminal justice system due to illness-related behaviors.
The CIT model:
- Reduces stigma
- Provides a forum for effective problem solving regarding the interaction between the criminal justice and mental health care system
- Creates the context for sustainable change
CIT training available in the North Country
NCHC has made Crisis Intervention Team Programs available in the North Country, partnering with NAMI-NH to facilitate these trainings.
Who should take CIT training?
Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) programs are appropriate for first responders, including:
- Law Enforcement
- State Police
- Fish and Game Conservation Officers
- EMS
- Fire Fighters
- Sheriffs
- Corrections Officers/Staff
- Judicial System Security Personnel
- Recovery Support Workers
- ... and other similar positions that would benefit from this knowledge
What do you learn in CIT Training?
By participating in CIT training, participants will:
- Learn about Crisis Intervention Teams (CIT) and their practical application in their own police department
- Develop an understanding of how the CIT program works and how it fits into the department’s patrol operation
- Learn how to interact with persons in psychiatric crisis
- Learn how certain techniques may safely defuse potentially violent encounters
- Discuss the state and community mental health system to enable participants to help mental health consumers in crisis to access community-based services
CIT Training Topics
Topics covered during CIT Training include:
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Contact
Questions? Contact Annette Carbonneau: acarbonneau@NCHCNH..org