1. Overview of Crisis Intervention Team (CIT)
Mary Lynne Reynolds
Executive Director
Mental Health Association in Southwestern New Jersey

2. How Camden Co. NJ discovered CIT
“What the person is doing is not really criminal, but we have to criminalize it to get them help.”
Chief Tom Garrity, Collingswood P.D.
Dec. 2005

3. Mental Health consumer murdered in mental health unit of Camden Co Corrections Facility
Inmate being held on $200 bail for violating restraining order by estranged wife was murdered by cell mate
Community outcry over death results in creation of county task force charged with developing strategies to address challenges of responding to public disturbances caused by the behaviors of people with serious mental illness

4. NJ Human Service Commissioner conducts study for Camden County
13 recommendations including CIT Memphis Jail Diversion Model

5. Goals of CIT Reduce injury to officers and mental health consumers
Divert mental health consumers to mental health treatment rather than being charged with crime that will lead to inappropriate sentencing to overcrowded jails and prisons

6. Camden Co. Researches Memphis Model
Group traveled to CIT International Conference Invites Sam Cochran & Rand Dupree to meet with stakeholders in Camden County Sends delegation to Memphis for orientation Sends delegation to Memphis for 40 hr training

7. CIT Leadership group formed
Director of screening,
Chief of Collingswood PD
Mental Health Administrator
Warden of Camden Co. Corrections
NAMI –Camden Co. President
DMHAS regional and state staff
Camden Co. Director of Human Services
Mental Health Association in SWNJ

8. Ongoing Elements of CIT
Development of partnership and ongoing collaboration between law enforcement and mental health system
Community ownership: planning, implementation, networking
Policies and Procedures

9. Operational elements of CIT
Selection of CIT officers
Provide CIT training for officers, screeners & dispatchers
Develop process for screening to accept consumers from law enforcement

10. Sustaining elements Evaluation and research In-service training
Recognition and honors

11. What does CIT model offer?
Provides foundation necessary to promote community & statewide solutions to assist individuals with mental illness
CIT Model is reducing stigma and the need for further involvement with the criminal justice system.
CIT is providing a forum for effective problem solving regarding the interaction between the criminal justice and mental health system and creates the context for change.

12. What is the NJ CIT Center of Excellence?
NJ Division of Mental Health & Addictions and NJ Office of Attorney General has had contract with Mental Health Association in Southwestern NJ since 2010 to provide technical assistance to develop CIT programs in counties throughout the state

13. NJ CIT Center of Excellence offers
Assistance and support in development of steering committee
Functions as facilitator to counties striving to implement CIT program
Presentation of Orientation to CIT in host county
Opportunity to send representatives and potential trainers to 40 hour training offered in other counties

14. NJ CIT Center of Excellence offers
Provides assistance and support of facilitation of the 40 hour CIT Certification Training curriculum
Provides assistance and support in the facilitation of initial 40 hour CIT certification county based training and provides ongoing technical assistance
Facilitates quarterly statewide meetings for leadership of county steering committees