**MEDIA ADVISORY**
Contacts:
Carla Rabinowitz (212) 780-1400, ext. 7726; 917-826-6747(cell); crabinowitz@communityaccess.org
John Williams (212) 780-1400, ext. 7772 jwilliams@communityaccess.org
NYC Councilmembers Rosie Mendez and Albert Vann Join Fellow Officials and the Communities for Crisis Intervention Teams Coalition to Call for a Resolution to Improve Police Responses to 911 Calls Involving Individuals With Mental Health Concerns
(New York, NY) On Wednesday, September 25 at noon, Councilmember Rosie Mendez joins the Communities for Crisis Intervention Teams (CCIT NYC)—a coalition of 30 behavioral health providers and concerned citizens—to call for the creation of specially trained crisis teams that can partner with police officers to help better respond to the 100,000 “emotionally disturbed person” calls the NYPD receives each year.
Crisis Intervention Teams have proven to be effective resources in cities around the United States and are vital to minimizing violence and trauma that people in emotional crisis often experience as a result of interactions with the police. Through establishing a new approach to NYPD mental health recipient encounters, the effort would improve safety and security for citizens in crisis and NYPD officers.
WHO:
Councilmember Rosie Mendez
Councilmember Albert Vann
Councilmember Jumaane Williams
New York State Senator Kevin Parker
Councilmember Carmen Arroyo
and
Communities for Crisis Intervention Teams (ccit nyc)
Steve Coe, CEO, Community Access
Carla Rabinowitz, Community Access
Wendy Brennan, Executive Director, NAMI NYC-Metro
Jim Mutton, Director of Residential Services, Project Renewal
Dustin Grose, Catholic Charities
Rights of Imprisoned People with Psychiatric Disabilities
New York Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services
WHEN: Wednesday, September 25, 2013 12:00 p.m.
WHERE: City Hall steps New York, NY 10007
For more information, visit: www.ccitnyc.org or Google “ccit nyc”