Welcome to CIT International

CIT International

CIT International is a non-profit membership organization whose primary purpose is to facilitate understanding, development and implementation of Crisis Intervention Team CIT programs throughout the United States and in other nations worldwide in order to promote and support collaborative efforts to create and sustain more effective interactions among law enforcement, mental health care providers, individuals with mental illness, their families and communities and also to reduce the stigma of mental illness.

CIT International works to accomplish this purpose by raising public and stakeholder awareness through education and outreach, establishing and disseminating recommended standards for developing, implementing and sustaining crisis intervention programs, providing assistance to communities interested in developing CIT programs, supporting research, improving public health and safety, evaluation of CIT programs and partnering with CIT programs in various localities to hold annual International CIT Conferences.

About CIT

click to read about CIT.. http://cit.memphis.edu/aboutus.html

Memphis Model

The Memphis Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) is an innovative police based first responder program that has become nationally known as the “Memphis Model” of pre-arrest jail diversion for those in a mental illness crisis. This program provides law enforcement based crisis intervention training for helping those individuals with mental illness.

Message from the President

As many of you know starting up an organization takes time and the dedication of several people. The board of directors for CIT International have spent count-less hours putting a basic foundation in place such as establishing all the legal and financial requirements to become a 501 (c) 3 organization, creating a basic website and establishing committees to move the organization forward. This is where you as members come in. Now is the time to put all your talents into helping make this organization grow. We need your help on several of the committees that have been established. If interested please contact me at my email address: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

CIT and NAMI

CIT and NAMI: The National Alliance on Mental Illness -- NAMI has a special relationship with the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) program at local, state, and even the national level. NAMI National keeps its members informed about CIT through its program “CIT In Action.” To find out more about NAMI and CIT In Action go to http://www.nami.org/template.cfm?section=CIT2 or contact: Laura Usher, NAMI CIT Coordinator at: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

2011 Officer of the Year

Sergeant Andy Suvada of the Streetsboro Police Department in Portage County was named CIT International CIT Officer of the Year for 2011 at the CIT International Conference in Virginia Beach on Tuesday September 13! This is a well deserved honor and something that all of us at CIT International should be proud of. Sergeant Suvada completed CIT training in Portage County in 2007. His aptitude and commitment to the CIT philosophy and purpose were quickly recognized, and in 2008 he was named Ohio CIT Officer of the Year by NAMI Ohio and Portage County CIT officer of the year by the Portage County Police Chiefs’ Association.

Andy is a wonderful example for all of us who work to further the development of CIT in Ohio. He has close and collaborative working relationships with mental health service providers, consumers, family members, and advocates. And certainly, part of Andy’s recognition is based on the additional personal hours he puts into building and maintaining a quality CIT program for his community.

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photo 1: pictured left to right are Michele Saunders, Vice President of CIT International; Sgt. John Wallschlaeger of the Appleton Wisconsin Police Department and last year’s winner of this award; Mike Woody, President of CIT International; Sgt. Andy Suvada; and Sam Cochran, Co-Chairman of CIT International.

photo 2: Andy Suvada gives his acceptance speech upon receiving the CIT-I CIT Officer of the Year Award on September 13, 2011 in Virginia Beach.