North Carolina Residents

State and Local Government

Providers of MH/DD/SA Services

Statistics and Publications

Crisis Intervention Teams (CIT)

CIT are police-based, pre-booking jail diversion programs that aim to provide people in mental health crisis the care they need instead of incarceration.

2008 End of Year Report 

CIT Program Resources:

Frequently Asked Questions
Guidelines for CIT in North Carolina
Sample Data Sheet
Instructions for CIT data sheet
Sample Law Enforcement Policies
Sample MOU
Lessons Learned
N.C. CIT Self-Assessment Tool

For More Information Contact us at: cit.dmh@dhhs.nc.gov

Throughout North Carolina, law enforcement, mental health professionals, and advocates are joining in partnership to establish Crisis Intervention Teams (CIT). CIT programs provide law enforcement the knowledge and skills they need to de-escalate persons in crisis and emphasize treatment rather than jail time for persons displaying symptoms of mental illness. The Division of MH/DD/SAS coordinates the statewide initiative through its Justice Systems Team.

Research on CIT programs has shown positive outcomes for people needing mental health care and law enforcement. They include:

• Reducing officer and consumer injury rates,
• Increasing referral rates of persons with mental illness to treatment by law enforcement,
• Reducing the arrest rates of persons with mental illness,
• Improving symptoms in persons with mental illness who were diverted by a CIT officer,
• Improving law enforcement attitudes about persons with mental illness,
• Improving law enforcement knowledge about mental illness and community resources,
• Improving collaboration between law enforcement and mental health agencies,
• Improving law enforcement officers’ ability to identify persons who are mentally ill,
• Improving law officers’ confidence in their ability to help people with mental illness,
• Reducing costs to the criminal justice system.

North Carolina CIT Advisory Board:

To help guide the Division of MH/DD/SAS in its development of CIT programs state-wide, an NC CIT advisory board has been established. This advisory board has helped establish guidelines for CIT programs in North Carolina, and provided the Division of MH/DD/SAS guidance on its activities to develop CIT programs, including funding decisions and development of a NC CIT conference. The CIT advisory board is composed of representatives from all of the currently existing CIT programs in North Carolina, and from the following agencies and organizations:

• Local Management Entities
• NC Sheriff’s Association or county sheriffs (or their representative)
• NC police chiefs, or their representatives
• Community colleges
• Advocates
• Consumers
• Private providers

Other Resources:

N. C. Jail Diversion Program

Last Updated: November 6, 2009