State of Florida CIT Program Model

Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) began in Memphis in the late 1980s and has been widely adopted around the country. CIT is an effective law enforcement response program designed for first responders who handle crisis calls involving people with mental illness including those with co-occurring substance use disorders. CIT emphasizes a partnership between law enforcement, corrections, the mental health and substance abuse treatment system, mental health advocacy groups, and consumers of mental health services and their families.

CIT, “The Memphis Model”, was developed around a set of core elements which have led to the success of this program.  Absent these core elements we believe a law enforcement response to those in crisis with a mental illness will be less effective.  For this reason, maintaining fidelity to the CIT Memphis Model was important to the Florida CIT Coalition as CIT was beginning to grow in Florida.

The Florida CIT Coalition developed its Florida CIT Program Model based on the Memphis Model core elements.  This document outlines a summary of those elements believed necessary for CIT programs to be maximally effective.  The Florida CIT Coalition provides communities technical assistance when developing their CIT program to ensure they follow the Florida CIT Model and maintain fidelity to the core elements.

The Florida CIT Coalition maintains its vision for CIT in Florida – that all communities will have a CIT program based on the Memphis Model.

Florida CIT Model