Crisis intervention team training: when police encounter persons with mental illness

Abstract

The Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) model is an established training program used to improve police response to encounters involving persons with mental illness (PwMI). Diversion of PwMI from the criminal justice system to appropriate treatment providers in the community is one of the primary goals of CIT. The present study examines characteristics and outcomes of encounters between citizens experiencing mental health-related crises and CIT-trained patrol officers. Findings of this study indicate encounters involving PwMI and CIT-trained officers often result in diversion to mental health services. Implications for policy and future research are discussed.

Keywords:

• Crisis intervention team
• mental health
• policing

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Michele P. Bratina , PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Criminal Justice Department at West Chester University in West Chester, Pennsylvania.  Previously, she was the Forensic and Children’s Mental Health Coordinator for the Florida Department of Children and Families in the 19th Judicial Circuit. Dr Bratina is the Immediate Past President of the Northeastern Association of Criminal Justice Sciences (NEACJS). She is also a three-time recipient of the ACJS/Sage Junior Faculty Professional Development Teaching Award.  Her research interests and publications include human exploitation, criminological theory, race, social structure, ethnicity and crime, and forensic mental health. Dr. Bratina has authored two books, Latino attitudes toward violence: The effect of Americanization (LFB Scholarly Publications, 2013), and Forensic mental health: Framing integrated solutions (Routledge-Taylor & Francis, 2017). She also has publications in the Journal of Criminal Justice Education, the Journal of Ethnicity in Criminal Justice, and the International Journal of Police Science and Management.

Kelly M. Carrero , PhD, BCBA is an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology & Special Education at Texas A & M University - Commerce. She earned her doctorate in special education with an emphasis on behavioral disorders at the University of North Texas. Prior to entering academia, she served children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds identified with exceptionalities and behavioral health concerns in a variety of settings. Her research projects serve as a vehicle for positive social change and advocacy for children identified with exceptionalities and challenging behaviors (including Autism Spectrum Disorders). Specifically, she is interested in identifying (a) demographic disparities in the special education evidence-base and provision of quality service delivery, (b) interventions that increase access to social capital for children and families from diverse backgrounds who are affected by communicative and behavioral health disorders, and (c) culturally responsive practices in research and service delivery. She serves her profession as a reviewer for several journals and an active member of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) and its respective divisions.

Bitna Kim is a professor in the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP). She received her PhD in the college of criminal justice at Sam Houston State University, Texas. Her specific areas of interest include a systemic review of the interventions with Meta Analysis, police-community corrections partnerships, and international/comparative criminal justice. She has published widely, including recent articles in Crime and Delinquency, Journal of Criminal Justice, Trauma, Violence & Abuse, Police Quarterly, Policing, Policing and Society, Federal Probation, Prison Journal, Criminal Justice and Behavior, Deviant behavior, Asian Journal of Criminology, and Journal of Criminal Justice Education.

Alida V. Merlo is a professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She received her PhD in Sociology from Fordham University. Her research interests are juvenile justice, criminal justice policy, and women and the law. She is the co-author with Peter Benekos of Reaffirming Juvenile Justice: From Gault to Montgomery (2018), and The Juvenile Justice System: Delinquency, Processing, and the Law, 9th Edition (2019). Her recent research has been published in the Criminal Justice Policy Review, the Journal of Criminal Justice Education, and the Asian Journal of Criminology.

Notes

1. The ‘Memphis Model’ of CIT training, while the original format and the most replicated, is not the only model used across the United States (Cross et al., 2014).

2. Nine police departments in the jurisdiction participate in the area’s Crisis Intervention Team (Florida CIT, 2015); however, for reasons unknown to the researchers, five departments did not submit completed data sheets for analysis.

3. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) defines serious mental illness: ‘Serious mental illness is defined as having a diagnosable mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder, other than a developmental or substance use disorder, that met the criteria found in the 4th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) and resulted in serious functional impairment. (SAMHSA, Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2008, 2009, and 2010 (Revised March 2012).

4. The Florida CIT Coalition has published a document that outlines the ‘Florida CIT Program Model’ (http://www.usf.edu/cbcs/mhlp/tac/documents/cj-jj/cj/florida-cit-program-2005.pdf) Core elements of the program (The Model) are aligned with those set forth in the original Memphis Model, and include policies and procedures related to using a generalist/specialist model; selection of CIT officers after training; a recognizable CIT pin worn by trained officers; size of CIT force; selecting a CIT Coordinator; selecting a mental health/substance abuse Coordinator; representation of mental health advocacy organizations; mental health and substance abuse systems; roles and responsibilities of law enforcement and service providers in the system of care; frequency of training and selection of trainers/presenters; refresher courses and abbreviated versions of training for other community stakeholders; methods for collecting data on program outcomes; ongoing meetings and support, feedback; and, recognition of officers (Florida CIT, 2015).