CTI Model
Critical Time Intervention (CTI) is a time-limited evidence-based practice that mobilizes support for society’s most vulnerable individuals during periods of transition. It facilitates community integration and continuity of care by ensuring that a person has enduring ties to their community and support systems during these critical periods. CTI has been applied with veterans, people with mental illness, people who have been homeless or in prison, and many other groups. The model has been widely used on four continents. Read more about the history of CTI here.
Core Components
- Addresses a period of transition
- Time-limited
- Phased approach
- Focused
- Decreasing intensity over time
- Community-based
- No early discharge
- Small caseloads
- Harm reduction approach
- Weekly team supervision
- Regular full caseload review
Phases of CTI
Pre-CTI
Develop a trusting relationship with client.
Phase 1: Transition
Provide support & begin to connect client to people and agencies that will assume the primary role of support.
- Make home visits
- Engage in collaborative assessments
- Meet with existing supports
- Introduce client to new supports
- Give support and advice to client and caregivers
Phase 2: Try-Out
Monitor and strengthen support network and client’s skills.
- Observe operation of support network
- Mediate conflicts between client and caregivers
- Help modify network as necessary
- Encourage client to take more responsibility
Phase 3: Transfer of Care
Terminate CTI services with support network safely in place.
- Step back to ensure that supports can function independently
- Develop and begin to set in motion plan for long-term goals
- Hold meeting with client and supports to mark final transfer of care
- Meet with client for last time to review progress made