Editor:
Jeffrey Geller's linking of a Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) program1 that is revered by family members and consumers to what is now perceived as something barbaric is reminiscent of characterizations that stigmatize mental illness.
As a CIT class coordinator and family member, I have had officers in training, after about the third day, come up to me and acknowledge what “jerks” they had been out on the street, because they just didn't understand crisis intervention before attending CIT class.
While research data are ultimately necessary to validate and measure outcomes, common-sense application of humane actions and education, such as CIT, encourages creation of policies and resources to treat mental illness. Geller's article contributes to stigma, which may be the major deterrent to treatment and recovery.
- American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law
