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CIT in Action

March 2011

Commentary: The Role of CIT in Preventing Violent Tragedies

By Laura Usher
NAMI CIT Coordinator

The recent tragic shootings in Arizona have raised painful questions about what went wrong. While it's impossible to rewrite history, CIT programs can help communities plan, coordinate and prevent a crisis.

Mental Health Learning Sites Aim to Teach Effective Intervention Techniques

The Bureau of Justice Assistance has chosen six Law Enforcement Learning Sites to provide technical assistance and models to communities interested in implementing specialized law enforcement responses to people living with mental illnesses, including CIT.

NAMI Report Reveals Deep Cuts to State Mental Health Services

A report published this month by NAMI reveals that states are slashing community mental health budgets and eliminating inpatient beds. Two-thirds of states have cut mental health care in the last three years—even though need has increased because of the nation's economic distress and troops returning home from war.

News and Announcements

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News from CIT International

The Crisis Intervention Team International (CITI) Conference will be Sept. 12-14, 2011 in Virginia Beach, Va. To register or submit a presentation, visit the conference website. The deadline for submitting presentation is March 31, 2011.

CIT International also has a new website! Learn more at www.citinternational.org.

National Institute of Corrections Focuses On Mental Health

The National Institute of Corrections (NIC) has created a newsletter and web community focused on the involvement of people living with mental illness in the criminal justice system. To learn more, visit the NIC mental health website.