​​​​Carroll County has joined the CIT initiative as initially established in Memphis, TN, after the shooting of a man with a serious mental illness by a police officer. A collaboration between the Memphis Police Department, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), the University of TN Medical School, the University of Memphis, and mental health providers sought to improve how both law enforcement and the community can respond to a mental health crisis.

As of Spring 2024, Carroll County has 92 CIT trained officers (from all municipal police agencies, CCSO, and MSP), 8 trained correctional deputies, 6 trained Special Police Officers at McDaniel and Carroll Community College, and 4 trained dispatchers.​​

What exactly can CIT trained officers do? CIT trained officers responding to a situation involving a person with behavioral health concerns have been given intensive training to recognize symptoms, defuse situations, and provide assistance. This way of response allows situations to be handled in a manner that reduces arrest, trauma, injury, or even death during mental health crisis calls and promotes linking people with behavioral health concerns to behavioral health professionals and programs designed to coordinate diversion from jail and/or unnecessary use of the emergency department​.