Georgia Crisis Intervention Team

Quick Facts:

Name of coordinating law enforcement agency:
Barrow County S.O.
Approximate number of officers in agency:
150
Primary specialized response:
Police officers are trained to provide crisis intervention services and to act as liaisons to the mental health system.
Program start year:
2005 or earlier
Total number of officers in program:
Approx 15

Georgia Crisis Intervention Team

Contact:

Name:
James Scott
Title:
Division Commander
Organization:
Barrow County Sheriff's Office
Address:
30 North Broad Street
Winder, GA
Email:
jscott@barrowsheriff.com
Phone:
770-307-3080

Agency Information

Name of coordinating law enforcement agency:
Barrow County S.O.
Type of government that operates law enforcement agency:
Municipal
Approximate number of officers in agency:
150

Specialized Response Description

Program start year:
2005 or earlier
Primary specialized response:
Police officers are trained to provide crisis intervention services and to act as liaisons to the mental health system.
Secondary specialized response:
Police officers are trained to provide crisis intervention services and to act as liaisons to the mental health system.
Background information:
The Sheriff's Office "CIT" team is a colaborative effort between the Sheriff's Office and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation which coordinates the Ga CIT Program.
Total number of officers in program:
Approx 15
Number of people with mental illness served:
51-100
Catchment area:
The entire jurisdiction
Funding source(s):
  • Sheriff's Department
    • Staff supported by funding:
  • Law Enforcement Officer

    • Program Partners and Personnel

    Existence of planning and oversight committee:
    Yes, currently
    Committee participants:
    • Law enforcement leadership
    • Family members of consumers
    Mental health or advocacy agencies that participate in program:
    Behavorial Health Link,Advantage Mental Health
    Written agreement of roles and procedures:
    No
    Recruitment and selection:
    Officers volunteer and some are selected.
    Program coordinator/boundary spanner
    Yes. The program coordinator represents a law enforcement agency
    Same

    Training on Mental Health Issues

    Types of training on mental health issues:
  • Advanced in-service training for select patrol officers
  • 40
    • Number of officers who receive advanced training:
    1-50
    Groups who conducts advanced training:
  • Police officers
  • Mental health professionals (crisis workers)
  • Medical professionals (doctors or nurses)
  • Consumers
  • Advocates
  • Family member of a person with mental illness
    • Advanced training topics:
    • Recognizing symptoms of mental illness, and clinical issues
    • Co-occurring disorders
    • Psychiatric medications
    • Community resources (mental health services, etc.)
    • Legal issues concerning individuals with mental illness
    • Legal issues concerning police officer liability
    • De-escalation techniques
    • Less lethal use of force options
    • Suicide prevention
    • The role of families and other supports in mental health treatment and recovery
    Advanced training methods:
  • Presentations (including panels, lectures, and/or PowerPoints)
  • Role plays
  • Site visits to community mental health facilities
  • Videotapes
    • Other information on training:
    The Ga Bureau of Investigation developed the Ga Model of the CIT Progam from the Memphis Model and has uniquely made this a progam that I am proud to be associated with as an instructor.

    Response Procedures

    Standardized dispatch questions:
    Yes
    Dispatch documentation:
  • Document in central computer database used for all calls, such as a Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system
    • Incident documentation by responding officer:
  • Record information in a field encounter form, or other form used to document every citizen encounter
    • Use of information on individuals' mental illness stored in police records:
    To record the data for future use and assistance to the individual.
    Mental health professional available to support police responder:
  • Yes, remotely by telephone or dispatch (e.g. a crisis worker or psychiatric emergency room personnel)
    • Officers permitted to transport people with mental illness to services when:
    • The person has volunteered to receive mental health treatment
    • The person is being brought to a hospital for emergency evaluation
    • The person is being brought to a crisis center or other health care facility for stabilization or medications management
    Officers allowed to transport a person without handcuffs:
    No
    Access to drop-off locations:
    Yes. It is open 24 hours a day.
    Procedure for streamlined intake and a "no refusal" policy for police referrals?
    No
    Location of drop-off center(s):
    • General hospital emergency room
    Drop-off center accepts people with co-occurring substance abuse disorders:
    Yes
    Length of time for drop-off and return to patrol:
    More than 45 minutes

    Program Sustainability

    Data collection:
    No
    Published evaluation:
    No
    Local media coverage:
    Yes.
    Legislative funding or support:
    No
    Key to the program's success:
    None
    About this information:

    A program representative provided this information details through a detailed survey.

    For more information on the survey, read about our methodology or download a pdf of the full survey.

    If you are a representative of a similar program not yet listed in our database, please register and take the survey to contribute your information.

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