Important Vaya Total Care Information. The Vaya Behavioral Health & Intellectual / Developmental Disabilities Tailored Plan, called Vaya Total Care, will be available April 1, 2023.
Current Medicaid and State-funded services will not change until then. Click here to learn more. ×

Crisis Intervention Team Training

More than 1,400 law enforcement officers, first responders and other professionals have completed Vaya Health’s Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) program. A partnership among community agencies, CIT teaches skills to respond to people in a behavioral health crisis or to individuals with an intellectual/developmental disability.

In North Carolina, more than 11,000 officers and more than 2,400 first responders and telecommunicators are now trained in CIT. Designed to improve safety, CIT can help de-escalate crisis situations, direct individuals to appropriate behavioral health services, strengthen ties with the community and reduce arrests.

Vaya’s CIT program

Our CIT program is tailored to meet local needs. The training is 40 hours for law enforcement and 32 hours for first responders and other professionals. CEUs are typically awarded upon course completion.

Classes are led by behavioral health professionals, experienced officers, family members of people with a mental illness and people in recovery. For more information, call 1-800-893-6246, ext. 3320, or email us at CIT@vayahealth.com.

“CIT helps our officers meet the needs of community members experiencing a crisis, which is often different than a traditional criminal matter.”
Brent Phelps,
Chief, Lenoir Police Department
Our employees are now better equipped with the knowledge they need to provide a higher level of care for behavioral health patients.
William Kehler
EMS Director, McDowell County
"CIT has been instrumental in our knowledge and skills related to the growing mental health and substance use epidemic in our community."
Joseph Vindigni
Chief, Hendersonville Fire Department

Need Help?

Finding care can be confusing sometimes. At Vaya Health, we make it easier. The process starts with a phone call to our Behavioral Health Crisis Line at
1-800-849-6127.

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