CIT Officers and Autism
“CIT (Crisis Intervention Team) is a community partnership of law enforcement, mental health, and addiction professionals, individuals who live with Autism, mental illness and addiction disorders, their families and other advocates”
Goals of CIT Officers and Training Programs
To develop the most compassionate and effective crisis response system that is the least intrusive in a person’s life.
To help persons with Autism, mental health challenges and/or substance use access medical treatment rather than place them in the criminal justice system due to illness related behaviors.
An excerpt from our latest CIT workshop with Sergeant Corbin Matsumoto from HPD!
FAQs
Do I need to register my child with the police prior to asking for a CIT Officer?
No! Anyone can request a CIT officer at any time. Though we do recommending looking into registering your child through a program such as Smart911.
Why would I need a CIT Officer?
CIT officers can be utilized anytime the authorities may need to get involved to assist in de-escalating a situation and prevent arrests such as elopement, public calls, or private house calls.
What if my child is afraid of police?
Parents should be proactive in teaching their children how to interact with first responders. Registering them, using wearable IDs or stickers identifying special needs, as well as volunteering for CIT trainings and workshops in the community!
What is Smart 911?
Smart 911 is an online safety profile you can register yourself and your child with that provides additional information to 911 so they can help you faster in an emergency.
Why do people with Autism elope?
There can be many reasons why a person with autism elopes, some being to escape an overstimulating environment or stressful situation, being out of routine, or exploring their surroundings. It is best to plan ahead and be prepared for elopement and be in communication with your community and local authorities.
Where do people with Autism elope to?
Often people with autism are drawn to bodies of water, which can result in accidental drownings. Be sure to identify bodies of water near where you are, and sign up for some water safety events to be prepared.
Current Hawaii CIT Officer Count
As of July 8th 2025 there are 265 certified CIT officers
*Current: 16%
*Goal: 20%
Agencies: FBI, NSA, USFWS, USMC, VA, Judiciary, OCCC, DLE
We are always looking for volunteers to participate in the CIT Officer Training and share their story!
Additional Resources
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Register Now through Smart 911 to be prepared in case of an emergency.
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Apply now for your own Big Red Safety Box to be prepared for a possible elopement or interaction with authorities.
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National Autism Association’s first responder toolkit is available online now!
https://nationalautismassociation.org/docs/BigRedSafetyToolkit-FR.pdf
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Autism Speaks has created an autism safety program for various emergency situations so you and your family are prepared. https://www.autismspeaks.org/autism-safety
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TACA has some great resources for how to keep your child with ASD safe, and how to be prepared!
https://tacanow.org/family-resources/keeping-your-kids-with-asd-safe/
A Different Mindset
Less Authoritative
If you take a less authoritative, less controlling, and less confrontational approach, you will have more control.
In Control
CIT officers are trying to give the person a sense that he/she is in control.
In a Crisis
Why? Because he/she is in a crisis, which, by definition, means that he/she is feeling out of control and normal coping mechanisms are not working at this time.
