Durham"s unarmed responders tackle crisis response challenges

In the last decade, police in America have shot and killed nearly 2,000 individuals experiencing a mental health crisis, highlighting a significant issue in crisis response. Durham's alternative crisis response program, known as HEART, aims to address this by employing unarmed responders who work alongside clinicians and police. This initiative has answered approximately 15,000 calls, with a focus on ensuring the safety of both responders and individuals in crisis. Despite the inherent risks associated with this work, the program seeks to shift the burden of risk away from those in crisis to trained public servants. The program's leaders believe that by placing unarmed responders in potentially dangerous situations, they can reduce the likelihood of police involvement and subsequent harm to individuals experiencing mental health crises. The success of HEART is measured not only by the number of calls answered but also by the safety and well-being of its responders and the individuals they serve. The ongoing challenge remains to balance the safety of responders with the need to provide effective support to those in crisis, as the program continues to evolve and adapt to the complexities of mental health emergencies.