title: Descriptive study of older adults encountered by crisis intervention team (CIT) law enforcement officers.
abstract: Increasingly, older adults who experience a mental health crisis come to the attention of crisis intervention team (CIT) law enforcement officers. These encounters are due largely to a lack of local mental health care resources. With few options available, individuals call 911 for assistance when an older adult exhibits alarming behavior. This article provides a profile of older adults encountered by CIT officers, identifies the reasons for the 911 call for assistance, and finds what predictors are associated with outcomes of those encounters. We found that these older adults were mostly female, Caucasian, diagnosed with depression, and attempting or threatening suicide.
authors.affiliation: a School of Social Work , Saint Louis University , St. Louis , Missouri , USA.
authors.forename: Sabrina W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Tyuse
authors.affiliation: a School of Social Work , Saint Louis University , St. Louis , Missouri , USA.
authors.forename: Shannon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cooper-Sadlo
authors.affiliation: a School of Social Work , Saint Louis University , St. Louis , Missouri , USA.
authors.forename: Sarah E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Underwood
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003419:Crisis Intervention / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D035846:Law Enforcement; D008297:Male; D028642:Persons with Psychiatric Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D011361:Professional Competence; D012017:Referral and Consultation
keywords: CIT; crisis intervention team; first responders; older adults