News and Announcements

Comprehensive Review of CIT Research Published

The Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law published an article reviewing all available research on the effectiveness of CIT.  The article, entitled “A Comprehensive Review of Extant Research on Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Programs,” was written by Michael T. Compton, MD, MPH, Masuma Bahora, MPH, Amy C. Watson, PhD and Janet R. Oliva, PhD. The authors find that existing research shows CIT is a promising practice for changing officer attitudes and diverting people with mental illnesses to treatment. However, the authors point out a need for more research into the diversion and treatment outcomes of CIT; most of the existing research is on officers rather than consumers. The authors also note a need for clear standards and definitions around the Memphis Model: the Memphis CIT program is well-studied, but those studies may not apply to other communities that have structured their programs differently than Memphis. 

An abstract of the article, as well as citation information, can be found at the Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law website.

Florida Awards $8 Million in Reinvestment Grants

The Florida Department of Children and Families awarded $8 million in matching grants to Florida counties for mental health, and substance abuse treatment programs. The grants, funded by the state’s Criminal Justice, Mental Health and Substance Abuse Reinvestment Program, fund county programs that provide mental health and substance abuse treatment for individuals at risk for involvement with the criminal justice system.  Projects funded include: creation of triage facilities, jail diversion programs, and mental health courts. A total of twelve planning grants and ten implementation grants were awarded, accounting for $8 million over three years. Counties receiving awards agree to match the state money. To learn more, visit the Florida Substance Abuse and Mental Health Corporation’s website. Click here to view a list of the awards.

Case Study of Georgia CIT Program Published

In March, The Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law published an article by Dr. Janet Oliva and Dr. Michael Compton that provides an overview of the Georgia CIT program. The article, entitled "A Statewide Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Initiative: Evolution of the Georgia CIT Program" reviews the history and implementation of the statewide CIT program in Georgia. By describing the collaborations created to implement CIT in Georgia, as well as the nuts and bolts operations of the program, the authors hope to provide a model for other states and communities interested in implementing CIT. An abstract of the article, as well as citation information, can be found at the Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law website.

Helpful Links

2008 CIT National Conference

The Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS)

University of Memphis CIT Website