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Building a Community Response Program in New York State
| Date: | Sep 22, 2025 |
| Author(s): | Ian Lechevet |
| Topic(s): | Criminal Justice: Crime, Criminal Justice: Policing, Health: General, Health: Health Disparities, Poverty / Income Inequality: General |
| Type: | Policy Brief |
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Community Response Teams (CRTs) represent an innovative approach to addressing behavioral health crises and other non-emergency situations in New York State. Unlike traditional responders such as police or emergency medical services (EMS), CRT programs are designed to provide health-led, trauma-informed interventions tailored to individual and community needs. However, New York State lacks a formal framework for CRTs and other similar programs in its laws, rules, and regulations. This absence poses challenges for establishing consistent operations, especially for programs operated by community organizations or those utilizing non-traditional responders like peer specialists.
This policy brief is intended to assist community members, organizations, first responders, and municipalities interested in piloting a community responder program in New York State by describing relevant implementation challenges and possible solutions. It describes the functional components (structure, funding, services, dispatch, and response logistics) that are essential for operating a program. It also reviews relevant New York State laws and regulations for programs to consider, as well as liability concerns, and discusses how to mitigate risks. It concludes with recommendations for policymakers to help community responder programs start up and thrive in New York State.