CIT
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Partners in Crisis is supported in part by grants from the JEHT and Florida Bar Foundations 
CRISIS INTERVENTION TEAM (CIT)
THE FLORIDA MODEL
ABOUT CIT
Law enforcement officers/deputies are generally the first responders to crisis events. It is important to have someone who can calm and contain the situation, insuring public safety. The Crisis Intervention Team Training (CIT) program provides officers/deputies with education about mental illness, including co-occurring substance use disorders and the skills and tools for handling effectively and safely someone with illnesses/disorders that is experiencing a crisis.
The Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) program is a community partnership working with community provider agencies, the criminal justice system and mental health consumers and family members.
Officers/deputies are provided with the best quality training available, they are part of a specialized team within their patrol division which can respond to a crisis at any time. These officers/deputies work with the community to resolve each situation in a manner that increases officer/deputy safety and shows concern for the citizen's well being.
The CIT program provides the volunteer officers/deputies with 40 hours of intensive training conducted by a variety of community service providers as well as prior trained CIT officers/deputies. This intensive training is designed to provide a common base of knowledge about mental illnesses as well as co-occurring substance use disorders and give the officers/deputies a basic foundation from which to build.
The course is intended to provide officers with skills to:
- Recognize signs and symptoms of mental illnesses and co-occurring disorders
- Recognize whether those signs and symptoms represent a crisis situation
- De-escalate mental illness crises
- Know where to take consumers
- Learn about jail diversion options
- Know appropriate steps to follow up
- Learn how to problem solve with the treatment system
The Crisis Intervention Team program in Florida is a community effort enjoining both law enforcement and the community together for common goals of safety, understanding, and service to those with mental illness, including co-occurring substance use disorders. It provides safer interventions for the officers/deputies and to consumer while redirecting the individual from the criminal justice system to the emergency treatment system.
It is to these goals the Florida CIT program stands committed.
Benefits of CIT
CIT offers many benefits to law enforcement agencies, providers and consumers and their families. These benefits include:
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Getting Started:
The Florida CIT Coalition stands committed to assisting communities in adopting CIT and working with communities to ensure success.
If you are interested in learning more about CIT or wanting to get assistance with the development of CIT in your community contact: Michele Saunders, LCSW @ 407/574-7182 or msaunders@flpic.org.
