New York City is launching a pilot program for mental health professionals to respond to 911 calls regarding non-violent mental health issues instead of NYPD officers.
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According to ABC 7, the mental health teams will consist of EMS health professionals and mental health crisis workers. The program is set to launch in February 2021 and the initiative is being led by the city’s First Lady Chirlane McCray.
She said in a statement, “The most innovative breakthroughs in mental health services are often the result of the multi-agency partnership, and today marks a new chapter in how the City responds to New Yorkers who are experiencing mental health crises,. “This is the first time in our history that health professionals will be the default responders to mental health emergencies, an approach that is more compassionate and effective for better long term outcomes.”
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McCray further added that the program launched to lighten the burden for police officers and they will no longer be the automatic response to non-violent mental health scenarios. However, the initiative has caused a backlash from EMT union reps and PBA President Patrick J. Lynch.
“It will undoubtedly put our already-overtaxed EMS colleagues in dangerous situations without police support. We need a complete overhaul of the rest of our mental health care system, so that we can help people before they are in crisis, rather than just picking up the pieces afterward. On that front, the de Blasio administration has done nothing but waste time and money with ThriveNYC and similar programs. We have no confidence that this long-delayed plan will produce any better results.”