The Formation and Application of an Overseas Mental Health Crisis Intervention Team, Part I: Formation

Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) research has shown increases in officer transports of individuals with serious mental illness to emergency departments (ED) which, while more appropriate than incarceration, can be expensive and lack linkage to long-term mental health services. Mental health crisis centers offer a promising alternative, but impact may be limited by proximal distance and lack of officer awareness. To address this concern, this study asked, “Does CIT training affect officer transport decisions to a crisis center over a nearby ED?” Researchers analyzed crisis call reports in a Midwestern county and found increased use of the crisis center and decreased use of EDs by officers after CIT was implemented. The crisis location affected officer transport decisions, yet CIT officers were more likely than non-CIT officers to travel farther for appropriate linkage. Findings suggest CIT changes officer behavior, which could potentially lead to long-term, low-cost treatment for individuals with serious mental illnesses when there is a mental health crisis center.

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The Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Model for Law Enforcement: Creative Considerations for Enhancing University Campus Police Response to Mental Health Crisis

Creative and Knowledge Society ◽

10.2478/cks-2014-0001 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Emily Segal

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Law Enforcement ◽

College Campus ◽

Mental Health Crisis ◽

Campus Police ◽

Crisis Intervention Team ◽

Police Response ◽

Health Crisis ◽

Intervention Team ◽

Cit Model

Abstract Purpose of the article American university and college campus law enforcement, like their peers in American munipal law enforcement agencies, find themselves interacting frequently with civilians experiencing mental health disturbances. An innovative model for law enforcement, the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) model, has been developed to address the difficulties law enforcement professionals and civilians in mental health crisis face during encounters. (Margolis & Shtull, 2012) This article explores how CIT can enhance police response to mental health crisis on the college campus. Methodology/methods Methods of applied research were conducted, borrowing from a benchmarking model and including interviews with multiple key informants representing law enforcement and mental health. Informants were affiliated with three universities and multiple municipal jurisdictions in Virginia, USA. Scientific goal The goal was to assess the relevance of CIT on the college campus and explore creative approaches to enhancing campus police response to mental health crisis. Findings The results supported the scholarly literature regarding the efficacy of the CIT model. Creative adaptations to the CIT model for campus possibly can be implemented to address concerns of mental health crisis on campus. Conclusions CIT is a highly innovative model requiring extensive collaboration between law enforcement, mental health agencies, and mental health advocates. As standard qualitative research was not conducted, the sample size of key informants may not have reached saturation. However, findings from the interviews support the body of literature on CIT. The implementation of CIT on the college campus could possibly help to alleviate difficulties on campus arising from mental health crisis, including reducing inappropriate arrest or disciplinary action, improving campus safety, addressing concerns related to threat assessment and management, and enhancing collaborative efforts on campus and with resources in the broader community.

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Crisis Intervention Team Training and the Protection Motivation Theory

Journal of Social Change ◽

10.5590/josc.2018.10.1.08 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Monique Allen ◽

Greg Campbell

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Crisis Intervention ◽

Police Officers ◽

Lived Experiences ◽

Protection Motivation Theory ◽

Mental Illnesses ◽

Protection Motivation ◽

Motivation Theory ◽

Crisis Intervention Team ◽

Intervention Team

The problem addressed in this phenomenological study was the lack of documentation that supported the lived experiences of crisis intervention team (CIT)-trained police officers related to their field encounters with persons with mental illnesses. The purpose of the study was to explore the lived experiences of officers among CIT-trained police officers to address the problem. The protection motivation theory was aligned closest with the teachings of CIT training as described by the study participants’ lived experiences. Participants provided the study’s collected data, which was composed of completed questionnaires and transcribed interviews. The empirical theoretical framework method of analysis used was a combination of inductive coding and theme analysis that established the results of this study. Key findings of the study identified a significant amount of frustration expressed in the lived experiences of the CIT-trained police officers. Frustration was experienced by officers who applied the protection motivation theory to ensure the well-being of persons experiencing a mental crisis. There was considerable pushback from the public mental health facilities, which added to the frustration experienced by CIT-trained police officers who attempted to navigate treatment with the limited resources available to help persons in mental crisis. The positive social change produced from this study included recommendations to police leadership and mental health advocates to encourage certain CIT-training-related practices that directly impact CIT field encounters with persons in mental crises. Specialized training may promote improved departmental outcomes such as sustainability of gains for those in crises and enable police officer accountability and reliability.

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Law enforcement and mental health clinician partnerships in global mental health: outcomes for the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) model adaptation in Liberia, West Africa

Global Mental Health ◽

10.1017/gmh.2019.31 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 7 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Mina Boazak ◽

Sarah Yoss ◽

Brandon A. Kohrt ◽

Wilfred Gwaikolo ◽

Pat Strode ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Law Enforcement ◽

Crisis Intervention ◽

Global Mental Health ◽

Law Enforcement Officers ◽

The United States ◽

Crisis Intervention Team ◽

Knowledge And Attitudes ◽

Intervention Team ◽

Cit Model

Abstract Background The Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) model is a law enforcement strategy that aims to build alliances between the law enforcement and mental health communities. Despite its success in the United States, CIT has not been used in low- and middle-income countries. This study assesses the immediate and 9-month outcomes of CIT training on trainee knowledge and attitudes. Methods Twenty-two CIT trainees (14 law enforcement officers and eight mental health clinicians) were evaluated using pre-developed measures assessing knowledge and attitudes related to mental illness. Evaluations were conducted prior to, immediately after, and 9 months post training. Results The CIT training produced improvements both immediately and 9 months post training in knowledge and attitudes, suggesting that CIT can benefit law enforcement officers even in extremely low-resource settings with limited specialized mental health service infrastructure. Conclusion These findings support further exploration of the benefits of CIT in highly under-resourced settings.

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