Bucks County Crisis Intervention Team (CIT)

Crisis Intervention Team (CIT)

Introduction
The Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) is an innovative model of police-based crisis intervention with community behavioral health, law enforcement, and advocacy partnerships. The CIT model was first developed in Memphis (Crisis Center) some thirty years ago and had spread throughout the world. CIT is a jail diversion and community policing program designed to improve the outcomes of police interactions with individuals whose behavior is influenced by mental illness, substance use, developmental or intellectual disabilities, and related conditions. Officers learn to recognize psychiatric distress and other conditions and how to de-escalate a crisis – avoiding officer and citizen injuries, and tragedy for the community.  In addition, CIT officers learn how to link people with appropriate treatment, which has a positive impact on fostering recovery and reducing recidivism.

The mission of the Bucks County CIT Task Force:

To promote collaboration between Bucks County Law Enforcement, Behavioral Health Organizations, Behavioral Health Advocates, and County Government, and to provide a forum for effective problem solving. To serve as a vehicle for individual, family member, and community input into the Bucks County CIT Training process. To develop a CIT training program that will be incorporated into the programs of every Bucks County Law Enforcement agency.

The goals of the CIT program:
The overall goal of the CIT training program is to treat mental illness as a disease, not a crime.

1. Law Enforcement:
   • decreased number of injuries to the officers
   • decreased use of force
   • improved use of alternatives to arrest and jail
   • decreased time officers spend in the crisis unit (involuntary commitments)
   • reduced myths and stigma of mental illness among law enforcement
   • improved relationships for officers and community
2. Behavioral Health System:
   • extended crisis response systems
   • increased opportunity for earlier intervention
   • improved treatment outcomes
3. Individuals/Family Members:
   • decreased number of injuries to the person
   • better relationships between individuals and law enforcement officers
   • removed stigma of unnecessary incarceration in local jails
   • improved access to treatment
   • increased chance that the individual will receive continuous care

For more information on the Bucks County Crisis Intervention Team, please click here.