The Neighborhood Center’s Crisis Response Team (CRT) is a groundbreaking co-responder program that places trained mental health professionals directly alongside law enforcement to respond to calls involving mental health or emotional crises.
By working together in real time, we’re able to de-escalate high-stress situations, connect individuals to appropriate care, and reduce the need for hospitalization or incarceration. Our mission is simple: to provide compassionate, trauma-informed support during some of life’s most difficult moments—while building a safer, healthier community for all.
Who We Serve
Our CRTs currently serve in the following active precincts in the Mohawk Valley region:
Partnered Law Enforcement Agencies:
- Utica Police Department
- Oneida County Sheriff's Office
- Village of Herkimer Police Department
- Little Falls Police Department
What We Offer
The Crisis Response Team is available to:
How We Help:
- Respond alongside police officers to active mental health-related calls
- Provide immediate crisis counseling and de-escalation support
- Conduct follow-ups with individuals who have been involuntarily hospitalized
- Accept referrals from family members, officers, schools, hospitals, or the individuals themselves
- Help connect people with ongoing services such as therapy, housing, recovery support, and more
Our Approach
The CRT model is proactive and preventative. We don’t just respond in the moment—we follow up, educate, and build ongoing relationships. We speak in schools, partner with service providers, and train officers to better recognize and respond to mental health crises.
Because public safety and mental health are deeply connected, we believe everyone benefits when those systems work together.
By treating every individual with dignity, compassion, and respect, our team helps to:
- Prevent unnecessary hospitalizations
- Reduce strain on emergency departments
- Support public safety with expert behavioral health intervention
- Provide long-term connections to care and recovery
KEY POINTS
Contact:
Rachel Bastien-Chilson
Program Director
rachelb@neighborhoodctr.org
315-732-6228
Need Immediate Help?
If you or someone you know is struggling with a mental health crisis, you don’t have to face it alone. Our team is here to help.
Contact the Mobile Crisis Assessment Team (MCAT):
315-732-6228
