Crisis Intervention Team (CIT)

BHL also works closely with Georgia's Crisis Intervention Team (CIT). This statewide initiative is led by NAMI Georgia, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) and receives funding from Georgia DBHDD. It's mission is to equip law enforcement officers with the skills to assist people with mental illness in crisis, thereby advancing public safety and reducing stigma. The goal is to train 20% of Georgia patrol officers.

NAMI Georgia, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Georgia Department of
Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities provide significant leadership to this collaboration that includes law enforcement, public safety officials, advocates and mental health providers.

The fourth annual National CIT Conference was hosted in Atlanta, November 4-6, 2008. The conference brochure is shown at left. Also, Georgia's CIT is a winner of the 2008 International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Civil Rights Award in the multi-agency team category. This collaboration of professionals is committed to protecting the civil and constitutional rights of individuals with mental illnesses and other brain disorders.

Officers receive a 40-hour training course focused on de-escalation skills and crisis intervention. BHL is proud to serve on the CIT State Advisory Board along with City of Atlanta Police Department, the Carter Center, Emory University School of Medicine, the Georgia Department of Corrections, the Georgia Department of Public Safety, Grady Memorial Hospital, the State Board of Pardons and Paroles, and many others.

Official Website: www.namiga.org/NGA-CIT.htm