Feliz and Tisch discuss mental health calls and Be Heard program
Feliz asks about mental health calls and OCS. Tisch explains the city's Be Heard program, where mental health professionals and EMTs respond to nonviolent EDP 911 calls, has existed for at least five years and continues unchanged.
So what about mental health calls?
So on mental health calls, as you know, the city has long had, I believe since the de Blasio administration, a program by the name of Be Heard,
where you have mental health professionals working with EMTs to respond to
911 calls for service where you have one, an emotionally disturbed person who is both nonviolent and does not have any weapons.
That program has existed for at least five years and that work continues.
Okay, so I know my other colleagues are probably going to have questions on this.
I assume Chair Lee will as well.
But it still remains unclear then what the relationship between NYPD and OCS is around mental health calls and some of the other programming.
And as I mentioned, the city has long had a program by the name of Be Heard, where 911 calls for service
are diverted away from police officers to EMTs and mental health professionals for them to respond.
That program continues.
I am not aware at this time of any changes to that program, but to the extent that there are, we'll certainly let you know.