NAMI | CIT

Implementing CIT

Getting Started

Community partnerships are the key to a successful CIT program. Only by working together can law enforcement, mental health providers and advocates improve the way a community responds to a mental health crisis.

To learn about CIT, read through our Frequently Asked Questions.

For NAMI members and community leaders, our CIT Advocacy Toolkit includes basic information on CIT and criminalization, fundraising tools, a guide to building community partnerships and media talking points.

For detailed, step-by-step information on starting a CIT program in your community, the University of Memphis CIT Center has comprehensive resources to help you start a program, including a step-by-step guide to building partnerships and a model curriculum. These resources were developed in partnership with NAMI, the International Association of Chiefs of Police and CIT International and with the input of CIT programs nationwide.

Other Resources

CIT Basics

Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Core Elements
This document, developed by leaders in the CIT movement, lays out the core requirements for a CIT program, including the elements of a community partnership and the training course.
Improving Responses to People with Mental Illnesses: The Essential Elements of a Specialized Law Enforcement-Based Program
Read this guide from the Council of State Governments, which includes ten essential components of any program to improve law enforcement response to people with mental illnesses, including CIT.

Training

Georgia Crisis Intervention Team Training Manual
Read the curriculum from Georgia's statewide CIT program.

Florida CIT Course Outline
Read this outline of the Florida CIT course, including course topics and learning objectives.

Improving Responses to People with Mental Illnesses: Strategies for Effective Law Enforcement Training
The Council of State Government’s Justice Center has released the newest guide in its series, Improving Responses to People with Mental Illnesses, entitled Strategies for Effective Law Enforcement Training.

Community Engagement

Building Safer Communities: Improving Police Response to Persons with Mental Illness
This report from the International Association of Chiefs of Police includes recommendations reduce trauma, injury, or death during mental health crisis calls and to promote dialogue between law enforcement, community providers, and partners that will sustain short and long term improvement in crisis call response, treatment, and recovery around the United States.

Statewide Law Enforcement/Mental Health Efforts: Strategies to Support and Sustain Local Initiatives
This report from the Council of State Governments Justice Center examines how states have developed structures and standards to make police encounters with people with mental illnesses safer for all involved and to produce better mental health and criminal justice system outcomes.

Developing a Comprehensive Plan for Mental Health and Criminal Justice System Collaboration: The Sequential Intercept Model
The National GAINS Center has released an updated version of the Sequential Intercept Model for comprehensive community planning.

Florida CIT Program Model
The Florida CIT Coalition developed this document to lay out the guiding principles for the Florida CIT program, based on the Memphis CIT Model. This document outlines for those communities who are conducting a CIT program or those who wish to implement CIT the core elements that they will subscribe to.

CIT Tool Kit
This toolkit, written by Lt. Mike Woody (Retired) of Ohio, provides guidance on engaging law enforcement leaders in CIT.

A Guide to Implementing Police-Based Diversion Programs for People with Mental Illness
This guide, produced by the Police Executive Research Forum, offers useful instructions for implementing police-based diversion programs, including CIT.

Enhancing Success of Police-Based Diversion Programs for People with Mental Illness
This guide builds on the Police Executive Research Forum’s earlier report: “A Guide to Implementing Police-Based Diversion Programs for People with Mental Illness.”
Improving Responses to People with Mental Illnesses: Tailoring Law Enforcement Initiatives to Individual Jurisdictions
This report from the Council of State Governments Justice Center examines the program design process, including detailed examples from several communities from across the country. It is meant to assist community leaders who want to select or adapt program features from models that will be most effective in their communities.
Law Enforcement Responses to People with Mental Illnesses: A Guide To Research-Informed Policy and Practice
Examines studies on law enforcement interactions with people with mental illnesses and translates the findings to help policymakers and practitioners develop safe and effective interventions. Supported by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, it reviews research on the scope and nature of the problem and on a range of law enforcement responses.

CIT for Youth

Responding to Youth with Mental Health Needs: A CIT for Youth Implementation Manual
NAMI’s comprehensive guide to CIT for Youth includes resources, templates and fact sheets to guide you through the process of starting a CIT for Youth program.
A Focus Group Report: A Conversation with CIT Trained School Resource Officers
A focus group report that outlines the valuable feedback, input and thoughts School Resource Officers provided during a focus group NAMI hosted in Lake Charles, La. The report includes recommendations on topics that NAMI believes should be covered in CIT for Youth training and changes that should be made in schools and other child-serving systems to improve the school environment for SROs, school staff and all students, especially those living with mental health needs.

Family Advocacy: Crisis Intervention Programs for Youth Strengthening Schools and Communities
This is fact sheet is designed to help NAMI families advocate for crisis intervention programs for youth in their communities.

Law Enforcement Advocacy: Promoting Crisis Intervention Programs for Youth in Schools and Communities
This fact sheet offers strategies for law enforcement officers to advocate for crisis intervention programs for youth in their schools and communities.

Supporting Schools and Communities in Breaking the Prison Pipeline: A Guide to Emerging and Promising Crisis Intervention Programs for Youth
This guide introduces the reader to crisis intervention programs for youth, and is based on the experiences of three communities where these programs are emerging.