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All assets associated with the tag: Durham HEART

Durham HEART Coverage

The city is looking to offer alternative options to calling 911 by forming a team of first responders who would be certified to help during a mental health crisis. 

Raleigh considers forming mental health taskforce similar to HEART program in Durham

Raleigh skyline

HEART was introduced in Durham last year and has had an impact on 911 calls for mental health crises. Now, advocates in Raleigh are pushing for the same program.

BEGINNING AT 4.30. >> AND ON FOX 50 STARTING AT 07:00AM. >> TONIGHT, WHO SHOULD CALM WHEN YOU CALL 9-1-1. SOME COMMUNITY ADVOCATES IN RALEIGH WANT TO SEE A TEAM OF SOCIAL WORKERS AND COUNSELORS RESPOND TO NONVIOLENT CALLS AND THEY POINT TO A PROGRAM THAT LAUNCHED IN DURHAM LAST YEAR CALLED HEART THAT THEY SAY HAS WORKED WRAL'S. JULIAN GRACE JOINS US LIVE TONIGHT IN RALEIGH AT CITY HALL WITH THE REQUEST. JULIAN. >> WE DO HAVE THAT REQUEST RIGHT HERE ON MY CELL PHONE AND WAS GIVEN TO CITY LEADERS HERE BACK IN FEBRUARY. AND THOSE WITH EMANCIPATE NC. WE BELIEVE THAT THE HEART PROGRAM CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE RIGHT HERE IN RALEIGH. >> WE'VE ALL SEEN CASES WHERE POLICE WERE CALLED TO DEAL WITH THE MENTAL HEALTH EMERGENCY. IN THE CASE OF KYRON HINTON, THE FALL. RAUL RODRIGUEZ, NUNEZ AND SOCIAL JUSTICE ACTIVIST KERWIN PITTMAN COULD NAME A FEW KNOW WHAT'S IN THE CASE OF RULE. RODRIGUEZ NUNEZ, AS AN EXAMPLE, RALEIGH POLICE OFFICERS FIRED 30 ROUNDS AT RODRIGUEZ NUNEZ AFTER HE ATTACKED OFFICERS WITH MOLOTOV COCKTAILS IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. SOUTHEAST DISTRICT PARKING LOT. RODRIGUEZ NUNEZ DIED FROM HIS INJURIES. HIS FAMILY CLAIMS THE OFFICERS FAILED TO HANDLE THE SITUATION AS A MENTAL HEALTH BELIEVE THAT IF THE TRAINED PROFESSIONALS ON THE SCENE. >> TO HELP THESE INDIVIDUALS AND TALK THEM DOWN THE LADDER LIKE THEY'RE TRYING TO DO THAT ALLOWS WILL STILL BE HERE. THIS IS DURHAM'S HART PROGRAM COULD HAVE MADE A DISPATCHES COUNSELORS AND CLINICIANS TO NONVIOLENT 9-1-1. CALLS. MANY OF THOSE IN DERBY MENTAL HEALTH RELATED. WE DESERVE CARE AND SUPPORT FROM QUALIFIED MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS. THE PLEA WAS MADE TO RALEIGH CITY COUNSELORS AT LAST TUESDAY'S MEETING TO ADOPT PART OF THE CITY OF RALEIGH ALREADY HAS A PROGRAM OF HIS OWN CALLED ACORNS. >> THE UNIT SINCE OFFICERS TO HANDLE MANY CALLS WITH ISSUES LIKE HOMELESSNESS AND MENTAL ILLNESS. PITTMAN DOESN'T THINK IT FOR ACORN'S. ALL RESPOND AT CRISIS HAS AND WE KNOW THAT JORDAN THOMAS TO LATE TONIGHT AS MAYOR MARY-ANN BALDWIN ON HER DOGS OF MAKING THE SWITCH TO THE HEART PROGRAM. >> AND THIS WAS HER RESPONSE, QUOTE, I ADVOCATED FOR THE CREATION OF THE ACORN UNIT, WHICH IS COMPRISED OF POLICE IS SOCIAL WORKERS HAS A NEW WAY OF ASSISTING OUR MOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS. THE CITY MANAGER IS WORKING ON A PLAN THAT WILL BUILD ON AND EXPAND THAT EFFORT, WHICH IS SUPPORTED BY COUNCIL. LET'S TALK MORE ABOUT THIS CITY MANAGER PLAN. WE'RE TOLD THAT THE CITY MANAGER IS WORKING ON FINDING OUT THE FEASIBILITY OF ADDING A RESPONSE TEAM THAT WILL BE ALSO BILLIONS. NOW, THIS IS JUST >> A MORE IN-DEPTH LOOK, WE'RE TOLD THOSE FINDINGS COULD BE PRESENTED TO COUNCIL IN

Community advocates push to bring HEART program to Raleigh

HEART, or Holistic Empathetic Assistance Response Teams, is making an impact in the city of Durham since launching last July. In Raleigh, citizens are pushing for the city to adopt the same approach.

Raleigh advocates push for HEART program to come to the city

HEART crisis team

You can see yard signs all around Durham in support of higher pay for firefighters and an expansion of the HEART (Holistic Empathetic Assistance Response Teams) program.

Grassroots campaigns led by yard signs are popping up all over Durham. Neighbors here are pushing for higher pay for firefighters. They're asking for some more money for the heart program which connects people in crisis to mental health care instead of law enforcement response. Ws Monica Casey shows us what's included in this budget and what isn't the city's proposed budget expands the heart program but not everyone is happy with the pay increases on the table for other public safety employees. Under the current budget, Durham's Heart program could expand citywide 12 hours a day, seven days a week using 27 new employees. This could more than triple Hart's eligible call volume. The team would be available for 13,600 more calls per year based on this year's call volume that represents about 10% of calls to 911 when we're out in the community. My team will often comment on people honking their horn and making little heart signs or saying I was hoping it would be you. Community safety department director Ryan Smith tells me his team has received an outpouring of support. I feel great joy and purpose in this work is the best thing I've ever done in my life. I can't speak for. I think that's a common feeling across the department of taking great joy and pride in what we've been able to do. Yard signs, calling for this expansion have popped up throughout Durham. Signs pushing for more pay for Durham. Firefighters are also displayed. The budget has a 2% increase in the police and fire pay plans along with a $300 bonus. Many who spoke at Monday night's city council meeting say that's not enough. I would make more money if I left tomorrow and started over as a recruit at any of the following cities than I do now with Durham. After more than four years of service, Knightdale, $57,000 apex 51 Wake Forest 50 carry, 48 speakers raised concerns about not only recruiting but retaining staff. A matter of public safety. Right now, the Durham Police Department is minus 146 officers. Six of the officers left last month, five of them went to another agency in Durham, Monica Casey W R L News. The city council has a work session tomorrow. They're going to discuss the budget. They could vote formally to adopt it on June 20th.

Across the Bull City, signs show support for first responders

Durham HEART program

You can see yard signs across the Bull City in support of higher pay for firefighters and an expansion of the HEART (Holistic Empathetic Assistance Response Teams) program.

Public calls for public safety investments in Durham's next budget

Durham firefighters

Since launching in late July, Durham's unarmed responders have gone to 199 calls.