New Haven officials say unarmed community response team has been effective

by Molly Ingram, WSHU/Public Radio NPR │July 19, 2023

New Haven is expanding their crisis response team.

The team, called Elm City COMPASS, is made up of social workers and people with lived experience.

They support the city’s police, fire and EMS departments by responding to mental health, substance abuse and housing insecurity calls. They are unarmed and aim to comfort residents who are in crisis.

COMPASS, which stands for “Compassionate Allies Serving Our Streets,” began its pilot phase in November 2022. Since then, they have answered more than 500 calls.