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 The program, slated to begin in February, will be composed of new
mental health teams from the Fire Department's Emergency Medical
Services unit and will target two "high-need" neighborhoods, which
were not identified.
"For the first time in our city's history, health responders will be
the default responders for a person in crisis, making sure those
struggling with mental illness receive the help they need," Mayor
Bill de Blasio said in a statement.
The move comes as New York and other large cities seek to reform
their police departments after the May death of George Floyd in
police custody in Minneapolis and other incidents sparked nationwide
protests.
The national debate over how to improve policing has in part
centered on how to prevent mental health calls from escalating into
violent confrontations with police.
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Currently, New York police officers and emergency medical technicians respond to
nearly all 911 calls involving a mental health issue, regardless of whether
there is a risk of violence.
De Blasio and the city's first lady, Chirlane McCray, said in the statement that
the responders would have the expertise to deal with a range of situations,
including suicide attempts, drug abuse and physical problems which can mask
mental health issues.
The mental health responders will be accompanied by a police officer if there is
a weapon involved or "imminent risk of harm," the statement said.
The city is modeling the trial after programs in other cities, including one in
Eugene, Oregon, in which unarmed mental health professionals respond to mental
health calls instead of the police.
(reporting by Nathan Layne in Wilton, Connecticut)
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