Durham's new crisis response pilot program launches this week, sending responders specifically trained to answer 911 calls for those having a mental health crisis.
The program has three parts. The Crisis Call Diversion pilot starts on Tuesday. Mental health clinicians will become part of Durham's 911 call center. If a person or family member calls 911 for help with a mental health crisis, they can speak with a person who is specifically trained for these situations.
The Community Response Team will hit the streets on Wednesday.
Care Navigators, who connect people with help they need after the initial contact, start their work on Thursday. New crisis counselors in Durham's 911 call center are ready to assess callers' needs and connect people to resources. They are also trained to de-escalate situations over the phone, before the arrival of first responders, and to dispatch community response teams and support first responders in the field.