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The Fifth Branch: Redefining Mental Health Crisis Response in America

08.15.2024 12:00 p.m.

Most people are familiar with the four branches of public safety: Police, Fire, EMS and 911. But who do you call when someone is in a mental health crisis? In Durham, North Carolina there’s a new fifth branch of public safety – an alternative crisis response program where social workers and clinicians respond to non-violent 911 calls from people in the middle of a mental health crisis. A new series from Tradeoffs in partnership with The Marshall Project dives deep with the team pioneering this new model, and similar models across the country, to explore the challenges, early successes, and what other cities can learn. Join us for a discussion of the main findings from the series. We’ll also hear directly from experts in alternative crisis response about how these programs can best serve residents in the midst of a mental health crisis. Panelist Q&A to follow. You can send questions for the panelists in advance to: info@tradeoffs.org. Panelists: Ryan Levi, Tradeoffs reporter/producer Christie Thompson, The Marshall Project staff writer Ryan Smith, City of Durham Community Safety Department director Gabriela Solis Torres, Harvard Government Performance Lab assistant director of criminal justice Nicole Lewis, The Marshall Project engagement editor (Moderator)