Develop a Memorandum of Agreement
Partners should work together to develop a written agreement about the roles and responsibilities of each agency in the operation of the CIT program. Each community is different, so the agreement you make will be unique to your community. Many CIT programs develop a written agreement called a memorandum of agreement (also sometimes called a memorandum of understanding), which can be either very general or specific. A general memorandum of agreement is an acknowledgment of the CIT program as a collaborative community effort ensuring better services and care for people living with mental illness. A more specific memorandum of agreement would lay out details of how agencies interact and help create workable policies and procedures for the partnership. Specifically, the agreement would describe the roles of law enforcement agencies and receiving facilities (e.g. emergency rooms and crisis stabilization units) and specify policies these agencies will need to have in place to work together smoothly.
This agreement should be based on research by the systems and data subcommittees about existing policies and procedures and feedback from officers, consumers and providers about changes needed to create smooth coordination. For example, the agreement could describe the criteria law enforcement will follow for referring an individual for a psychiatric evaluation, the procedure for transferring custody, and measures to ensure the dignity and safety of all individuals involved.