What Is CIT?

The Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) program is a community partnership of law enforcement, mental health and addiction professionals, individuals who live with mental illness and/or addiction disorders, their families, and other partners to improve community response to a mental health crisis. While CIT programs are known for CIT-trained officers, successful programs also focused on improving the crisis response system, advocating for needed services, and strengthening partnerships across the community.

The CIT model, known as the “Memphis Model” was first developed in 1988 and since has spread throughout the United States and several nations worldwide. In 2008, the CIT founders, Dr. Randy Dupont and Major Sam Cochran (Ret.) led the convening of members of successful CIT programs throughout the United States. These individuals became the founding board members of CIT International.

NAMI York Adams Counties PA (NAMIYA) is a core partner for the York County CIT program. Each year, York County CIT offers between 6-8 trainings, lasting 40 hours each throughout the year.

CIT in York County

Since the York County CIT training was initiated in 2010, over 600 individuals have been trained. Among them are officers from 26 different police departments, the York County Sheriff’s Department, York County Prison, WellSpan Hospital and UPMC Memorial Hospital. In 2023, The York County CIT training program began training Pennsylvania State Police officers, Pennsylvania Game Wardens, and Pentagon Security Officers.

Our current community partners are Dr. Kathleen Jansen from the WellSpan Behavioral Health Center, Dan Lentz from the York City Police Department, Desiree Irvin, the Executive Director of NAMIYA, alongside Katherine Gruver, Certified Crisis Intervention Team Coordinator (CIT) and Mental Health Boundary Spanner Trauma Informed Care Certified Instructor.

NAMIYA plays an important role in the training by providing perspectives from both the individual living with a mental health condition and the family. CIT trainees visit the NAMIYA office and participate in roundtable discussions with staff and individuals. As part of the training, NAMIYA presents the In Our Own Voice program and a presentation about mental health stigma. We welcome volunteers to assist us with this training. Please visit our volunteer page for more information if you’re interested.

In 2021, our CIT Program introduced the CIT wristband initiative. This initiative came from a simple question asked by an officer to help identify a person living with a mental health condition and needing help after placing a 911 call. The wristbands are intended to be worn only by trained CIT officers and members of the community living with a mental health condition. By seeing each other with a band, the person in crisis can feel more connected with the officer and the officer will apply his CIT training to help the person in need.

As of 2024, we have distributed more than 14,000 bands into the community. Other PA counties have followed in our footsteps, introducing the CIT wristbands into their own CIT programs.

Please contact our office if you would like to have a CIT wristband. One size fits all!