Crisis Intervention Team Assessment Center (CITAC)
WHAT IS THE CRISIS INTERVENTION TEAM?
Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) programming is designed to increase the efficiency and quality of access to care for consumers in an acute crisis. CIT initiatives include identifying strategies to decrease inappropriate arrests, reducing consumer stigma during law enforcement involvement encounters, while improving consumer outcomes during a crisis situation.
CIT ASSESSMENT CENTERS
- Intended to provide a therapeutic location in which to serve individuals experiencing a behavioral health emergency
- The location will serve as an alternative to a criminal arrest which is what may have occurred previously
- Recognized as a best practice model for training first responders in recognizing, understanding and ultimately deescalating these types of emergencies
- Local law enforcement officers will complete a 40-hour core training, to learn these skills, which will be held in conjunction with the Southwest Virginia Criminal Justice Training Academy
A Memorandum of Agreement to participate in the utilization of the CITAC was signed by the following:
- Washington County Virginia Sheriff’s Office
- Abingdon Police Department
- Bristol Virginia Police Department
- Bristol Virginia Sheriff’s Office
- Damascus Police Department
- Glade Spring Police Department
- VHCC Police Department
- Emory & Henry Campus Police Department
- Virginia State Police
Our program consists of five full-time employees — a CIT Coordinator, two CIT Pre-screeners and two CIT Deputies. It will be open seven days a week and staffed for approximately 10-13 hours daily.
CIT Assessment Center of HCS
614 Campus Drive
Abingdon, VA 24210
276.525.1528