A CAB Member’s Motivation: Turning Passion Into Action for Community Crisis Care

Brian Bonilla explains that he joined the COMPASS Community Advisory Board (CAB) in May 2022 to serve as a community voice for New Haven residents in need and to advocate for local concerns. He describes the CAB as a way to “turn passions into actions,” aligning with how he speaks with his patients, and as a direct way to engage with first responders—especially around responses to substance use and mental health crises. He also connects his decision to his professional background: he has worked as a community provider in New Haven for about 17 years, delivering mental health and substance use services and partnering with the Department of Corrections. He says he values being part of a system increasingly focused on treatment and support rather than policing alone. As outcomes he’s proud of, he highlights improved capacity for direct response and efforts to mend community relationships with first responders and police, including more effective dispatch from the PSAP (Public Safety Answering Point) to the COMPASS team. He also notes progress in adding plans and resources for children who may be present during crisis calls, supported by additional community partners.